The Spirit Sabre
by shadowweaver1
Summary: An enemy in disguise. A new friendship. A crashing world. All depends on a single scroll... Takes place as if EC never happened COMPLETE. Undergoing cosmetic surgery.
1. Prologue

**A "Short" Prologue**

Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon unit stepped into work one night only to find herself staring into the red-rimmed eyes of Commander Root. His livid expression was one that she recognized well; she was the cause of it on more occasions than she cared to remember.

She glanced around, looking for an escape route but unfortunately the nearest sliding door was behind him and there was no one around to rescue her from her superior's wrath. Holly sighed inwardly, preparing herself to be berated for something that she knew, in the grand scheme of things, would be completely insignificant. _It is strange how there is no one else here though._ She thought, perturbed by the uncharacteristically empty room.

"SHORT!" Root yelled, going an even deeper shade of red if that was possible. "Stop glancing around like an ogre with an itch and get into my office. Now!"

Holly gulped and then did as he said, wondering what on earth she could have done to warrant this treatment. Mentally, she scanned through her latest missions, groping for some procedure she had broken that he had yet to lay into her about. She came up empty.

"Sir, what is this about?"

"Stop asking stupid questions Short. If you had half a brain you'd know _exactly_ what this is about!"

Holly was one step away from loosing it with her esteemed commander. After everything they had been through together it wasn't unreasonable of her to expect _some _common courtesy. But instead her commander decided to be even harder on her than he was on everyone else. It wasn't fair! Apart from the Hamburg affair her track record was exceptional. Well, apart from the Hamburg affair and the Artemis Fowl thing…and that incident with the troll…

"No commander, I actually have no idea what this is about." She said tightly, clenching her teeth. "Would you be so kind as to tell me why you're snarling at me?"

Surprisingly, her commander did not comment on the somewhat disrespectful use of the word "snarling." Instead, Root gave a wicked smile before continuing.

"I'll tell you what you've done Captain. You have _willingly_, and knowingly…gone above and beyond the call of duty on several occasions!"

Holly almost fainted with surprise as a dozen or so LEP officers unshielded and shimmered into the visible spectrum. Each one was holding trays with wine or snacks.

"And," Root continued a small glint in his eye. "in doing so, have landed yourself a promotion." Her colleagues cheered. "Now…do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Holly's knees almost gave out. She was so dumbstruck with the turn of events. Since when did Root have a sense of humor? And since when did she get real appreciation for anything? She opened her mouth but what she would have said was anyone's guess because at that moment the doors behind Root blasted open in a large explosion of shattering metal that shook the ground beneath their feet. Sharp fragments of the alloy went flying in all directions. Much to the LEP's disgrace, no one reacted as fast as they should have.

Barely a second had passed when a huge hulking figure stepped into the LEP central headquarters. It seemed to hesitate for a moment until some unknown force compelled it to step in.

Holly stared at it in horror. It was the troll. The very same one that she had had two run-ins with six years ago. She was amazed at the ferocity of its eyes, that seemed solely concentrated on her. They glinted with a dark red hue that promised danger and bloodshed.

But what shocked Holly the most was the tiny figure resting on its shoulder. A young boy, about the age of eleven. He was sneering at her and goading the troll on, encouraging it to create more havoc. His cold blue eyes were ablaze with malice and his small pale face contorted in a way that made him look more demon than boy. It was none other than Artemis Fowl.

_But no_, Holly thought struggling desperately against her fear. _This isn't right. Butler had severely injured that troll and Fowl would be seventeen by now. What in Haven's name was going on??? _

Holly awoke in a cold sweat. Her voice was hoarse like she had been screaming and her pajamas were soaked through. It was just a dream, only a dream. When her breathing was back under control, Holly scowled.

That meant she had never been promoted. Oh well, at least she didn't have to deal with mud boy and peanut head again.

She rolled off her bed and checked the time. She would still have a few hours before her shift at work would begin but she knew there was no way she'd be able to sleep now. She showered quickly, got dressed and had a quick breakfast, the latter something she would normally forego

_I wonder why I dreamt about the troll after so long. _She thought reflectively as she battled through the traffic on the way to work. _I can't still be afraid of it? And what about Fowl? _She had thought that she had got over her prejudices about him. She had witnessed a spark of decency in the boy.

A flash of those icy eyes from her dream flashed in her memory.

_No. _She decided. One incident was not enough to relieve her doubts about him. He was still an extreme danger to the people. She silently berated herself for not having voted for him to be mindwiped.


	2. chapter 1

**Author's note: **So for those of you that don't know I'm in the process of editing this and am replacing the chapters one by one. I'll also be taking out a lot of these author's notes and replies to reviews that probably bug the hell out of the casual reader :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Artemis Fowl series or any of the characters involved in it, they are the intellectual property of Eoin Colfer.

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**Chapter 1**

**Fowl manor  
Dublin Ireland**

Artemis paced his room agitatedly. It was seldom that he abandoned his icy shell of composure and displayed any form of emotion. He had trained himself over the years to remain calm, to compartmentalize most of his emotions that would only get in the way of making money and achieving his goals. Not that anyone was there to witness his apprehension in this instance. Juliet was training with Butler and his mother and father were out at some social gathering.

In actual fact, a partial cause of Artemis's distress was his father. The man had already lost over 5% of the family's fortune on reckless purchases. Combined with the amount Artemis was losing, thanks to Tsu Ling that was quite a large amount.

That thought made Artemis clench his fist involuntarily. Artemis was barely ever violent. He was a thinker; always had been but lately he felt his nerves were becoming more and more frayed and thinking of Tsu Ling only made him that much closer to snapping.

Artemis shook his head, pushing those unhealthy thoughts aside and refocusing on his father. _My father and his born again happy-go-lucky spend-thrifty ways_, the Irish teenager thought irately.

Another factor that annoyed him was that his father's constant surveillance prevented Artemis from continuing any illegal enterprises he might have pursued. His father was a much more involved and intuitive guardian than his mother ever had been. That in itself was limiting Artemis's scope in terms of making money. A twinge of guilt hit him for thinking that way.

It wasn't that Artemis didn't feel strongly about his father; he was immensely relieved that the man was safe. Showing such an emotion just wasn't in his nature though, such warm sappy feelings needed to be kept separate from those that were required to run an empire. And that's exactly what Artemis had been doing solo up until the return of his father. Now everything was out of whack.

The only redeeming aspect of the situation was that his parents loved to socialise. On a few occasions, Artemis had managed to get them out of the way for a few days so that he'd been left with some short sabbaticals from their attention wherein he could go back to conducting business the way in which he was accustomed.

However, he had yet to come up with an idea to regain enough money to stop their fortune from sinking. His father had gone completely legitimate and had invested several million in new companies, often lending money to the little man to do his part to alleviate some of the losses in the current economic climate, despite the onerous cost to the Fowl fortune.

Artemis thought back to what he had done the last time his fortune had started to deplete. He had kidnapped an elf and tricked the Lower Elements out of a substantial amount of fairy gold. That particular plan had had many setbacks to it.

Dealing with a whole other species of people was a whole lot more complicated then he had anticipated at the time. Retrospectively, Artemis found it amazing that he had gotten off as easily as he had. Indeed Juliet had almost been killed and Butler _had_ been killed. If it hadn't been for the help of one feisty Captain Short, they would have never made it out of the situation alive.

The irony was that she was the same elf he had kidnapped. She had helped him a lot. She had de-depressed his mother, saved himself, Butler and Juliet and helped to rescue his father. Reflectively, Artemis pulled out a small coin from his pocket. He always carried it with him, justifying it to himself as being a souvenir, a keepsake rather than a sentimental object of affection. The coin had a round hole right through the centre.

_'"You keep it, to remind you"_

_"To remind me?"_

_Holly stared at him frankly. "To remind you that deep beneath the layers of deviousness, there is a spark of decency."'_

Artemis wondered how Holly could have done so much for him after he had kidnapped her. _Some people are born that way; honest and kind and righteous_. A small part of his brain told him. _And face it Fowl; you just aren't one of them_.

If the boy hadn't had such good breeding he would have snorted at his own whimsy. It hardly mattered that he had not been born with such qualities, he had the intellect and the skills to make money and protect his family, and that was everything he cared about. He could admire certain things about Captain Holly Short without needing to emulate them himself. Besides, no one expected him to do anything with that "spark of decency" anyway. Holly was probably one of the only people who wouldn't question it's existence. Not that he hadn't given her reason to.

Artemis sighed and once again forced himself to shove the train of thought aside. Holly Short, the LEP and Haven were in his past now, for good. He knew that he had done some questionable things in his life, but he also knew that he was not about to cause any more suffering to an auburn-haired, hazel eyed elf. Especially not one with such a mean right hook.

**  
Haven  
LEP Headquarters**

Holly Short stepped into work that night only to receive a fast blow to the head.

"Alright," She yelled, picking up the mud-man tennis ball that had assaulted her. "Who threw this?" When no one came forward she whistled, "Right well I can have it down in forensics in two minutes, have an I.D on the yahoo in three, and have Methyl from MOMMA slapping a huge fine on all those involved in four, so I suggest someone come forward. _Now_."

MOMMA stood for the Misuse of Mud-man Materials Authority and Methyl was an aged Sprite, renowned for her harsh punishments of violators of her precious statute regarding mud men creations.

There was a collective groan as several low-ranking officers exchanged rueful glances, as if silently asking each other if she would go through with it. After a moment, a corporal that she couldn't remember the name of stepped forward hesitantly to the sound of snickers from his partner.

"Sorry ma'am." He apologised, then he added in an undertone. "Didn't know you were so fragile."

She threw the ball back at him hard, enjoying the satisfying _thwack_ it made as it hit his ribcage. "That's _Captain_, and you would be in trouble…" she winked "...if you didn't throw like a mud girl." Trouble Kelp gave a small chuckle as she breezed past the insulted corporal.

Holly was fully aware that she sometimes came off as defensive and a bit of a kill-joy but that was only because she had worked extremely hard to be respected; to make a name for herself despite the ubiquitous chauvinism that permeated the force. Even after years of working for Recon, she was used to getting stick for her every screw up so it was only fair that she was equally as hard on her subordinates.

She went and sat at her desk. In a way, she couldn't blame those officers for goofing off though, the LEP wasn't exactly swarming with work as of late. Normally that would have been a good thing; less work means less crime. But the cause for this lack of crime was decidedly disturbing. An elusive group called the Sabres. They were vigilantes. They took the law into there own hands and hand no qualms with breaking a few, as long as they got their fairy.

How they had managed to emerge overnight and evade the LEP so far was a mystery. None of the leads that they had had on the group had panned out.

The general people loved them. In every way they seemed superior to the LEP officers. Officially, the LEP was not even acknowledging the existence of the Sabres, or at least not to the sheer size or scale of the operation. However, Root had made it quite clear that they were to be arrested on sight. He had reason to believe that the Sabres were also _causing_ quite a few crimes. He had also briefed a few of the more senior officers, Holly included that they should be very careful as to whom they approached with any intelligence about the Sabres. A reliable source had informed him that the Sabres had their teeth into the council too; corruption had spread throughout it. He wasn't sure who to trust.

When Root had PM'd his select officers that he was sure he could trust for the briefings on the situation, Holly had been surprised to be included. She had half expected to be distrusted with such clandestine information simply by virtue of being a female and therefore, in the eyes of her colleagues at least, more inclined to gossip. Then again, there was a practical reason why Root might have included her in his dream-team; Holly _was_ the only officer to have encountered a Sabre, and seen his face.


	3. chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Nothing belongs to me apart from a few insignificant dwarfs and goblins…and Gus Lint.

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**Chapter 2**

**One Year ago**

**Haven**

**Tara Shuttle port**

Holly was anxiously waiting for a free shuttle. She was running low on magic and had learned a few years ago that it did not pay to be completely out when going up to the surface. Normally, Root would assign one of the officers to accompany her "Just in case". But at the moment, she really wasn't in the mood to put up with Chix Verbil's incessant flirting or Grub Kelp's…or Grub Kelp in general.

While in line she was watching the family in front of her. It was your standard small elf family, a young couple neither of whom could be older than two centuries, with two teenage sons. The sons were fighting over something. Feeling nosy, Holly leaned forward and saw what the boys had. It was a purse full of mud-man money. Strange, but not completely unheard of- things like that often made their way back to Haven through illegal smuggling rings that would sell them to the highest bidder who would no doubt be some privileged senile old fairy who only wanted it for the novelty of having something human made. On the other hand, very occasionally the money made its way to some reckless fairy who would try to actually _use it_ while making a visit to the surface. Fairy law was strict on this point- the people were to limit their interactions with humans to the bare minimum, which didn't include trade.

It was likely that these two boys had either inherited it or found the purse, and probably wouldn't be stupid enough to try and use the money. It was innocuous really, but still somewhat illegal.

For a moment, Holly debated with herself. Technically, she was off duty and it was highly unlikely that the boys were part of a mud-man artefact smuggling ring. Still…she was Captain Holly Short. In uniform or out of uniform, she _was_ the job. There was nothing wrong with that…right?

She cleared her throat, and when the boys turned around she tapped her helmet in greeting.

"I'm Captain Holly Short of the LEP, boys. Those mud-man coins are in contravention of our misuse of mud-man property law, hand them over."

The boys glowered at her, irritated. "But we're not doing anything wrong with them. That's a stupid law."

She couldn't rightfully argue with them but the law was the law at the end of the day. "Sorry boys, you can either hand the mud-man money over or be fined by MOMMA."

They sullenly handed the purse over and Holly slipped it into her pocked, making a mental note to drop it off at headquarters as soon as she got back. "Thank you, now if you want a souvenir from the surface, I suggest you boys shop at duty free."

They grunted angrily in reply. Holly couldn't really blame them.

She was about to board a shuttle when she noticed a group of dwarves and a few goblins having a very _tense discussion_ on the side of the platform. And a tense discussion between dwarves and goblins is really a scathing, heated argument, seconds away from deteriorating into a territorial battle. She was out of uniform and there weren't any other officers in sight so it would be a matter of minutes before they would begin to fight. Holly sighed, why did these things always happen to her? She gave up her shuttle to the next person and started over to the inevitable crime scene when suddenly a figure unshielded in front of the goblins.

He appeared muscular under his clothes and was very tall for Haven dweller. His face, apart from his eyes, was hidden behind a black mask beneath which he was completely shrouded in some sort of black jump-suit. It was virtually impossible to say with any certainty that he was definitely a male, let alone ascertain a species. Despite his conspicuous garb, the graceful fluidity with which he ghosted closer to the goblins hinted at a powerful furtiveness that seemed inherent to his nature. He made no sound while moving, but raised a hand with such authority that he would have commanded all their attention if he had not already had it.

"Stop," was all the figure said.

Goblins, who were naturally tempestuous by nature became even more so when told what to do by a complete stranger. One of the ringleaders snorted loudly and shouted, "Who the hell are you?"

"_Stop_ or suffer the consequences."

A bead of sweat broke out on Holly's brow. One of the dwarves shifted nervously.

"Maybe we should cool it. This guy could be one of those-those _Blades _or something."

Another dwarf slapped him upside his head, "_Sabres_ you numbskull! And the LEP issued a statement saying they don't exist in the _Daily Flare_ yesterday. Said it was a bunch of kids wearing Halloween costumes. This clown isn't going to hurt us!"

"Scram you circus freak!" A goblin yelled, "Before things get ugly."

"Or in your case, uglier." The first dwarf muttered.

"Threat acknowledged." The dark figure stated coolly.

Then it began its assault on them. It pulled out two contraband Neutrino 500s and had squeezed off five shots before anyone could even move. In a flurry of motion, those people still standing scattered as fast as they could, the smarter ones running away while a few of the most stupid and aggressive charging at their attacker. In a sick, sardonic way, it was touching to see dwarves and goblins united against a common enemy.

That didn't last long, as soon a few of the dwarves realized that this was their opportunity to blindside the goblins while they were busy with the Sabre, and attacked ruthlessly.

Holly had taken cover as soon as the dark figure began firing and tried to contact Foaly for back-up but something was jamming the signal. "Sabres" Holly muttered under her breath, knowing without a doubt now that her mystery vigilante must be one of them. The Sabre had apparently got tired of his guns because he had taken to pounding a goblin mercilessly while the dwarfs and goblins continued their struggle all around. Holly realized that she had no way of proving she was LEP, her badge being at home.

"D'arvit" she swore. How could she expect to fix this mess if they wouldn't even believe she was LEP? _But maybe I can use that to my advantage_. She thought. If they didn't know that she was LEP then they didn't know she wouldn't really hurt one of them. Breaking from standard procedure without a second thought, she pulled off her helmet and dumped it on the ground, out of sight.

She took out her trusty Neutrino, put it on its highest setting (again breaking from procedure) and casually walked over to where the goblins and dwarfs were fighting. Thankfully, they didn't seem to have any guns, they were relying on their fists and anything they could find. She recognized the group leaders.

The dwarf leader had actually unhinged his jaw and had his mouth wrapped around the goblin leader's head. Before the dwarf could bite down, he felt the barrel of Holly's Neutrino being pressed strategically against his jaw line.

"Whazz at?" He asked dumbly. Holly looked around but no one seemed to be paying attention.

"People!" She yelled over the sound of fists connecting with jaws. "I have both your leaders here, and unless you want their sorry excuses for brains blown out then I suggest you drop your…" She glanced around and noticed most of them were using unattended luggage to hit each other with, "…weapons immediately and put your hands in the air." Everyone complied, not much from loyalty, more from a lack of a better idea.

Everyone except the masked figure that is. He took a step forward. "Lower your weapon." He ordered.

Holly snorted. "Umm, I think I'd rather hang on to it." From the way his eyes crinkled, she could guess he was snarling. Then, without warning, he swung his gun upwards in an ark. In one fluid movement, he shot through the dwarfs mouth and the goblin's head. Both creatures died with a sickening splash of blood.

Holly froze, paralyzed by the sheer brutality of the moment.

By now, the remainder of goblins and dwarfs had decided that their battle could be continued another day. (Seeing your leader's brain blown out in front of you can do that to a fairy.)

Simultaneously, the 'figure' and Holly snapped up their weapons to face each other. "By order of the LEP you are under arrest. Your rights will be explained to you at a later date. Should you not co-operate with this arrest, you shall be stripped of all non-essential fairy powers." Holly barked angrily.

The figure's black eyes were expressionless. "You are mistaken." He said. "It is you who will have to co-operate. Lower your weapon! You are foolish to think you can outmanoeuvre a Sabre, Holly Short."

"You know who I am?" She breathed, a shiver running up her spine.

"We know everything." The Sabre stated darkly. "The sooner you people realise that the LEP is no longer in control of Haven the better. You should believe it Captain." There was a small glint in his eye. "You should also take better care of watching your back!"

At that moment, someone kicked her weapon from her hand. "D'arvit!" she swore, furious with herself for letting her guard down. The gun flew through the air and off the platform. Holly spun around only to see another masked figure, disappearing amongst the shuttles already a klick away. She didn't have time to consider how he could possibly be so fast.

She instantly regretted having turned her back on the first Sabre. Any second, a burst of red fire would pierce through her back and into her heart. But it never came.

In an inexplicable moment of good luck for Holly, she realised that the Sabre was having problems with his gun.

Holly took the opportunity to throw herself into the air, using the last of her magic to boost her up a good thirty feet. Only a split second later, a stream of red tore through the air where she had just been.

Still airborne, Captain Short twisted herself to face her attacker. The next few moments seemed to slow down for Holly. _What do I do?_ She thought. _I have no weapons and the guy doesn't look like he's about to give up_. Then she remembered something she had learned in the academy.

_"The Neutrino 500 is hard to handle but is extremely effective. It has been outlawed because it can kill. The shock from the blast ruptures many arteries simultaneously, and that's at its lowest setting. Its main disadvantage is that it cannot penetrate copper…"_

She recalled the lecture all at once. But it wasn't as if she had a big sheet of copper handy. Then she remembered something else. She slipped her hand in her pocket and pulled out one of the coins from the purse she had confiscated a few minutes ago. We would recognise it as a two pence piece, straight from England. But all Holly cared about in those fleeting seconds was that it was roughly the size of the barrel of a Neutrino 500.

Praying that her aim was as good as it had been a few years ago, she launched it away from her. Had Artemis been there, he could have told her exactly what her odds were of making that shot, but we can guess that it was something along the lines of a million to one. But that day, Captain Short beat the odds because the coin entered the barrel of the Neutrino at the right angle to block the beam.

The Sabre lowered his weapon and tried to remove the coin but it was jammed. He discarded the weapon just as Holly landed with practiced cat-like grace.

Holly and the Sabre regarded each other for a moment. Then they were locked in hand to hand combat. No matter what Holly tried to do, the Sabre always countered and hurt her more. In this instance, her basic knowledge of street fighting just wasn't enough. He could have been using one of the Mud Men's Martial arts for all she knew.

She didn't see a way she could get out of this in one piece. He had just killed two fairies without batting an eyelash…she would have to play dirty…

Holly looked for an opening and kicked him right where it hurts. Any male, despite the species, would get extremely angry with that. The Sabre's eyes widened and he froze. Holly frowned; she had been expecting him to double over at least. He was one tough customer.

But she took the opportunity to reach over and unmask him. He was a Sprite. He had dark blue hair and a remarkably scarred face, a hook nose and startlingly green eyes. She did not know this at the time, but it was a face would be ingrained in her memory for years to come. Her unmasking him had taken him off guard but he recovered quickly, giving a small smile before punching her square in the face. Holly fell on her back. Having taken enough of a beating and with no magic to heal it with, she was in a lot of pain.

The Sabre pulled on his mask again and as he did, she saw a tattoo on his arm. It was a sword of some kind with a line of blood circling it in spirals. She was surprised she hadn't noticed it before.

Holly flipped up as the guy approached her. Before they could begin their fight again however, they both noticed two LEP shuttles approaching. Holly made a move towards him but he was already grabbing on to a civilian shuttle that had stopped in mid-air for him. Holly tried to stop him but he was too fast. "We will finish this soon Captain Short." He shouted before he was too far to hear.

"Count on it," Holly said to the night air.


	4. chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Nothing is mine, all belongs to Eoin Colfer.

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**Chapter 3**

**LEP Headquarters**

**Present Day**

A strange buzzing noise jerked Holly unceremoniously out of her reverie. She blinked for a moment, staring blankly at the icon that had just appeared on the screen in front of her. Her mind was still pondering anachronistic details. _The dull metallic glint of squad shuttles in the distance…_ Holly was not fond of irony. They were LEP squad shuttles, they had come to help _her, _to ameliorate the situation and yet they had only made it worse. Their approach had distracted her for a moment; a lapse that was long enough to allow that Sabre to escape.

Holly scowled at the thought. If there was one thing she absolutely hated it was being within spitting distance of a criminal and not arresting them. She was the job.

The 'approaching' squad shuttles had included Root. After a brief account of the situation from Holly, they had tried to follow the Sabres' shuttle but had been unsuccessful. At that point the feeling of frustration she had felt had been virtually unbearable. A few weeks went by and then as luck would have it Foaly managed to complete his work on an updated version of the Retimager that had long been on the back-burner. They called it Ret 2.0. Naturally, Holly had been the first one to try it out. Within moments, Foaly extracted an image of the Sabre so that he could cross-reference it with anyone with a criminal record. There had been one result, a Sprite by the name of Gus Lint.

As soon as the image was pulled up on the screen adrenaline began coursing through her veins, there was something innately bleak about those green eyes. With their colour they should have been brilliant, sparkling, but they only shone with malice and treacherous intelligence.

Gus Lint had been arrested a few years prior to the shuttle port incident for conspiring with Opal Koboi and trying to live on the surface. Holly could not remember the exact case. This had led Holly and Root to believe that Opal may have had a hand in creating the Sabres, but she was still rotting in her cell. They had checked on her twice since that incident but apart from some depression and strange behavior, she was entirely there.

Holly was interrupted from her reminiscing by a loud shout from Commander Root. "SHORT!" he yelled. "I just PM'd you, are you deaf or just stupid? Get in my office."

Holly winced, realizing that that must have been what the icon on her screen had been signaling. She _had_ to snap herself out of this funk before it cost her her job.

She ducked into Root's office, but not to be told off as she had expected. Instead, Root asked Holly to take a seat (which definitely wasn't something you saw everyday). Then, he lowered the blinds and shut the door for utmost privacy. Holly was bewildered.

She took in her Commander's appearance and a fresh wave of melancholy almost overcame her. He looked exhausted. Deep dark shadows formed rings under his eyes and his complexion was worse than usual. His shoulders were slumped slightly, as if in defeat and the thought suddenly filled her with a deep sense of foreboding. He looked ready to keel over. _Or worse; retire_. And the LEP would be nothing without Julius Root.

Then again, she probably looked just as awful. An intangible feeling of impending disaster seemed to cloy the air around them as of late and it was wearing on her, tiring her out. From the furtive glances Trouble had been sending her way Holly was sure she wasn't the only one to have picked up on the undercurrent.

"Short," Root began gravely "I don't have to tell you what a mess we're in. You of all people should understand how dangerous the Sabres are. There've been casualties. Three LEP officers and the Gods know how many more civilians. The worst thing is that we still have no way of knowing who we can trust on the council. I gave one of my most…trusted superiors a false lead a few weeks ago and the Sabres acted on it yesterday."

Holly opened her mouth to ask for details but then shut it again with a little snap. If he had wanted to tell her he would have. Most information nowadays was bestowed on a need-to-know basis. It was safer that way. She waited him out, knowing he'd get to the point eventually.

Root regarded her seriously for a moment. "We've found Gus Lint." He said.

Holly stood up. "What? But that's good news isn't it? Now we can…"

"He's on the surface." Holly sat down again. Root continued. "The guy has been walking amongst the humans, posing as a D'arvited businessman." Root's face began to turn a shade of purple. Had the situation not been so serious, Holly might have laughed. Root scrambled for the small silver container he always kept nearby and pulled out one of his precious cigars. He looked slightly calmer after having taken a puff or two.

"Commander, how is that possible?"

"I guess you weren't here when we arrested him previously were you?" Holly shook her head. "He was working with Koboi on one of her less high-profile schemes. He would buy a company, use fairy knowledge to improve it, buy tonnes of gold and bring it down here to fund…well we never really found out where he was funneling the gold. The important thing is that apparently, Koboi had invented some kind of holographic device that you would strap on your wrist. It would make you look just like a Mudman."

"Handy," Holly breathed. Not even Foaly had come up with something remotely that advanced or potentially dangerous.

"Captain, do you understand why I am telling you this?"

"So that I can go and arrest Lint?"

"You can't." Root said. "The council won't accept some Retimager images as reason for a long term arrest and even if they did his friends up there would probably help him out. We need Lint pinned to the wall so we press him for information about the Sabres and about the corrupt officers. What I want you to do is go up there and tail him for a while. Find out as much as you can before making contact. Then, I want you to squeeze him for information, I want to know what the D'arvit is going on and who's involved."

"You want me to go to the surface?"

"Yes."

"To tail Lint?"

"Yes."

She wasn't sure what question to ask first so she settled on the most obvious. "How am I supposed to follow him if he's out all day posing as a businessman?"

He waved his hand dismissively, taking another drag of his cigar. "We'll get to that."

"Why me?" She blurted.

"Are you refusing to do this?" His tone was flat.

"No, I'm just wondering why you didn't ask someone from Retrieval. Someone like Trouble Kelp, his record is spotless and this _is _more of a Retrieval mission. You do want Lint brought back here don't you Sir?"

"Take the wool out of your ears Short, I just told you I want you to tail him for a while before engaging. What we need is information. We need someone with finesse." He took in her disbelieving expression and then sighed in acknowledgement. "And failing that we need someone who can think on their feet, someone who's not afraid to…"

"Deviate from the rulebook?"

"To put it nicely." Root snorted. Then he was somber again, "You remember your initiation Short?"

How could she forget? She'd been through hell and back and still managed to shoot Root with a paintball gun. That was a story that her colleagues still whispered about in veiled awe, jealousy and amusement.

"Yes sir…?"

"No need to look so smug Short." He glowered. "But that _is_ the kind of thinking we need in this situation. We need someone who plays to win and that has to be you. The Sabres know us, they have people in the council, they know our protocol, so we have to ignore protocol and be dynamic to beat them. Understand?"

She nodded. Despite her hesitation there really hadn't been much choice in the matter. Haven needed someone to do this, and that had to be her. She felt her shoulders droop infinitesimally in response to the mounting pressure and responsibility she was about to accept. "I'll do it."

Root neither looked happy nor upset by her decision. There was only a slight nod as if he had expected it.

"You understand that this is completely off the record? If an LEP officer finds you then I'll have to claim that I was completely unaware of what you were doing. And you'll have to go alone; I'm not certain who we can trust here. I would come with you, but I know I'm already being monitored. Now, I can't force you to do this, it could mean the end of your career if you are caught. I will understand if you want to back out now." Root trailed off.

Holly grinned reassuringly. "In my head, I'm already pounding on Mr Lint."

Root allowed a small smile to spread across his face but it looked forced. "That's the spirit Short. Now report to Foaly for all necessary equipment. Then go home and rest. You're leaving in the morning."


	5. chapter 4

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Authors Note: 

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Mage Kitty: actually, I pre-ordered The Eternity code from a book club by post.

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Janey-the-suicidal-maniac: I continued, no threats are necessary! Hope you are still reading this.

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Chrysgurl: Thanks for continuing to read!!!

What can I say? You guys are the best. Please keep reviewing and I hope other people are reading this too. If you are please let me know!!!

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Disclaimer: Everything is Eoin Colfer's 

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1 Week later

Holly could hardly believe that only a week ago she had been coming into work and going about her job as normal. The life that she was living now was unlike almost anything she had experienced before. She was walking amongst the Mud Men unnoticed.

Before she had left, Foaly had given her a few things. Firstly, a Holo-imager. It was the same kind of device that Gus Lint had used while he was on the surface except this one was only a duplicate of the one that Opal had made. Holly had strapped it around her wrist then looked into the mirror. Her nut-brown skin had become white, like a mud man's and her ears and chin appeared like one of theirs too. She even seemed to have grown an inch. 

The only problem with the imager was that the illusion wasn't tangible. If someone were to come in physical contact with her skin, then that person would be able to see the real her. But only that person, and only for the amount of time that they were in contact with her. Holly had managed to stay out of crowded areas, however. Once a shopkeeper had accidentally touched her hand but the mesmer had taken care of him easily enough.

The other items that Foaly had equipped her with were more conventional. An assortment of weapons, a tracking device, human money, a set of ID's and a pair of Hummingbird winds. Of course she also had a communicator and her helmet. The tracking device showed Gus' position with a red dot. 

Holly was staying in a discreet one-bedroom apartment. Surprisingly, the tracking device had led her to Ireland. She didn't mind so much because she was familiar with the area, and it wasn't exactly in Dublin. Nevertheless, when she went to complete the Ritual, she couldn't help holding her Neutrino close. 

Apparently, Gus Lint was a very evasive character. Her tracking device had led her to a businessman by the name of David Walsh. Just one of the Aliases that Gus had taken up. Gus, apparently had many Holo-imagers, she had already seen him in three different mud men. His favorite, so it seemed was Mr. Walsh, a middle aged man with brown hair.

However, throughout her days of observation, Gus had yet to drop his guard. Armed bodyguards who looked almost the size of Butler always escorted him, wherever he went. But she had overheard one of his conversations about a party in a few days that he had to attend. It would be full with potential business associates. Holly would have to crash this 

party, she decided.

_____________________________________________________________________

3 Days Later

Fowl Manor

Dublin Ireland

Artemis's situation had not improved. He was still losing money and the matter with Tsu Ling was not helping. Above all, he felt the sudden urge to get away from his problems, his mind was overly strained and he needed to do something that wasn't normal for him. If only to find his inner peace. He turned on the intercom.

"Butler?" 

"Yes Artemis?" Came the brisk reply. 

"What was it, that my father requested of me to do while he was gone?"

"He couldn't attend a social gathering. He wants you to go in his place and try to convince Mr. Murdock to close the deal about the shipping agency. It starts at eight. That's in an hour."

"Yes, I know. Bring the Limo out front please." Artemis sighed deeply. "And I suppose I will need a suit as well."

"Yes sir." Butler answered, barely able to keep the surprise out of his voice. Artemis was not usually one who socialized. 

Winthlow Manor

Ireland

Holly had dressed carefully for the occasion. All in all, she wasn't entirely sure how mud men dressed to such occasions but she was sure she would be turned away if she went in there with her green jumpsuit. She had eventually settled on an elegant cream dress with matching silk gloves; just in case someone wanted to shake her hand. Then, she just hoped she didn't look too formal. Her hair, she had decided, she would wear loose. She had been growing it recently and although it may have been a hassle when you were flying a shuttle, it helped the dress not to look too fancy.

When Holly reached the exterior of the building, she had stopped a solitary man in a suit. He looked old enough to be her father, considering that she looked around twenty. Making sure that no one was looking, she had put him under the mesmer. 

"Listen up Mud Man, when we get inside you will pretend that I am your daughter and you just brought me along. If anyone asks that's what you say. And act natural apart from that, just forget that I am there, unless I come over to you, in which case you will introduce me as your daughter." Holly paused for a breath. "Do you understand?" 

"Yes." The man droned mechanically.

"Good, now walk in there beside me." Holly ordered. The man complied immediately. When they got to the main entrance, a polite brunette greeted them.

"Please come in." She invited. Holly couldn't resist letting an evil smile play across her face.

"Thanks for the invite." She said, taking a step inside and removing her coat.

The gathering itself was kind of formal. A hundred people or so in the hall, drinks of wine were served to all and no one's glass was ever empty. There were a surprising number of youngish people there. A lot of millionaire's sons and daughters and Holly was relieved to see that her dress was appropriate.

She searched for Gus but couldn't find him and decided that he would turn up fashionably late. So she went over to one of the food tables and watched the guests tentatively, making polite conversation to most people (even though she was on the verge of yelling at most of them to get lost) and turning down those who asked her to dance until, finally, Gus Lint walked into the room.


	6. chapter 5

Author's Note: Warning-for those of you who haven't already figured it out, this will be an A/H fic. Hello? Are you still there? Don't worry, I will try to make them stick to character and there IS a plot behind it. (Laughs evilly) This wont be a typical romance. Please continue R&Rn.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine  
  
Winthlow manor Ireland  
  
Artemis had closed the deal with Mr Murdock and was now circling the party aimlessly. He had observed the guests for a while and alienated a few. Artemis decided to head over to one of the food tables, intending to have a drink before leaving, when something caught his eye. A head of shiny auburn hair, to be exact.  
  
There was an uncommonly pretty woman standing near one of the tables and staring fixedly at something across the room. Something about her stopped him in his tracks. There was something strange about the look in her hazel eyes. Something familiar.  
  
Slowly, he made his way over to her. She didn't react, still watching something.  
  
"Looking for someone?" He asked. The girl's eyes flicked on him briefly, annoyed at being disturbed.  
  
"Yes. And it isn't you." She replied coldly. Artemis was impassive, but allowed a crease to wrinkle his forehead.  
  
"Do you always snub guys at parties?"  
  
"Only when I'm in a bad mood and they annoy me." She said distractedly.  
  
"So, what are you like when you're in a good mood?" Artemis smiled. Her comment had obviously been designed to end their conversation and get rid of him quickly.  
  
"Asleep." She quipped. She turned her hazel eyes on him. "Do you always bother girls at parties?" She asked.  
  
"Only when I'm in a good mood and they are annoyed by me." He countered. She liked that and smiled.  
  
"You're confident."  
  
"Not usually. Who are you here with, I'm sure I haven't seen you at any meetings, I would have remembered."  
  
"No." She conceded. "I'm here with my father. Daddy insisted that I come, even though these things usually bore me to tears."  
  
"I can understand that." He said quietly. This girl was slightly unnerving. He was sure that he had seen her before. Those eyes were almost haunting. "Listen, I hate to sound clichéd, but have we met before?" She found that funny and laughed heartily.  
  
"I doubt it." Her eyes clouded with mystery. "I'm not exactly from around here."  
  
Artemis nodded. "May I know your name?" She raised an eyebrow at his formalness but extended a gloved hand.  
  
"Sheila Winters." She said. Artemis shook her hand.  
  
"Artemis Fowl." He returned. Her eyes widened at the sound of his name. Her carefree attitude abandoned her at once and was replaced with.shock? She dropped his hand and for a moment just stared. Then her expression turned to one of icy composure. Artemis was all too familiar with this expression not to recognise it. It was the one that he adopted whenever he didn't want people to know what he was thinking. This was pretty much all the time.  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you M.Mr Fowl." She said tonelessly. "I'm afraid I must go and have a word with my father now so, if you'll excuse me." And with that, 'Sheila' walked away.  
  
That had been extremely peculiar, Artemis thought. Her expression when he had said his name especially. He decided to stay for a little longer and maybe watch this 'Sheila'. He was certain that she had been lying when she had talked about her father. Her pupils had dilated slightly and she had glanced briefly up to her left.  
  
And so he stayed, all along completely unaware that he was watching Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon unit.  
  
Holly walked away, trying to make it look natural. Trying not to expose too much of the turmoil that was going on inside her. She rounded a corner, into the passageway that led to the ladies room, and finally allowed herself to slump against the wall. Her heart was beating erratically. She stayed there for a while, not really thinking anything.  
  
When he had said his name, Holly had felt like she had just been slapped with a ten tonne troll. But it seemed as if she had come out of it quickly enough, he hadn't followed her. And do you want him to follow you? That annoying part of her brain asked.  
  
Truthfully, she wasn't sure how she felt about him. They had parted on good terms but she knew that she still harboured some resentment. She wasn't sure if she was happy to see him. She had to shake herself. Of course she wasn't happy. If Fowl was there then that meant he had some connection with Lint. This just can't be a coincidence. She told herself.  
  
She silently berated herself for having dropped her guard. She shouldn't have been so surprised that he was here, this was Ireland after all. And she was tracking down a criminal. She shivered to think that she had been standing there talking and flirting with Fowl and hadn't even known it.  
  
"OK," She said, silencing her noisy thoughts. "So Fowl is involved. All I have to do is get to Lint and get him away on his own. And avoid Fowl at all costs." Somehow, going head to head with a Sabre didn't seem like such a hard task anymore. Not as hard as trying to outwit Artemis Fowl.  
  
She could only imagine how fast Fowl would work out who she was. If their previous conversation wasn't enough.  
  
She didn't even want those calculating eyes on her again. Before, when he had looked at her, she had been worried. So worried that he could see her. The real her. 


	7. chapter 6

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Disclaimer: Too tired to type, make it up for me please.

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The party had started to pick up, several more people had arrived and couples had taken to dancing.

Artemis was intrigued. He had been watching Sheila with interest and the more he did, the surer he was that he recognised her. But he could never place it. It was extremely frustrating, especially considering that he was a genius. He also kept noticing things about her, like the way her eyes seemed always to carry a sense of mystery and her hair shone almost abnormally.

Aside from being extremely attractive, she also had quite fast reflexes. At one stage, she had almost dropped a glass off one of the tables. The glass had tipped and started to fall but she had grabbed it, snatched it out of mid-air without spilling a drop. Then she ad looked around to make sure no one had seen.

It was obvious to him that she did not belong here but was here for some hidden agenda and he was determined to find out what that was. He wondered why she had been avoiding him. Whenever he had approached she had discreetly moved away and begun talking to a new set of people. A normal man wouldn't have noticed, but he was a genius after all. 

It was possible that she had recognised him too. That she was avoiding him for fear that he would expose her. That was the most likely scenario in his brain.

A little while later, Artemis decided to go and talk to her. Maybe bluff his way into finding out the truth. He walked over to her. She was engaging in small talk with a couple of older men. "Would you like to dance." He asked placing a hand on her shoulder. The words had sprung up before Artemis had even the chance to think about them. They surprised him as much as they did her.

The moment he touched her arm, he felt her tense up. Her face snapped around to look at him. Except her features began to transform. Her complexion changed, he ears and nose pointed, she dropped an inch and when he looked into her pretty eyes, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon unit was staring back.

For one of the few times in his life, Artemis was lost for words. He stared at her open mouthed, she glared at him in contempt. A dozen different thoughts passed through Artemis then, the most prominent one being "huh?"

She glared daggers at him. "Y…Y-" Artemis began.

________________________________________________________________________

Holly had finally made her way into Gus Lint's conversation. Or Mr Walsh as he was called here. She was listening carefully to the conversation but nothing of importance would come up yet. She did her best to look docile by laughing lightly at any joke made and constantly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. It appeared to be working. Gus had yet to pay her any extra attention.

Then, she heard a voice from behind her. "Would you like to dance?" And a hand on her arm. No! Her arm! The person would see her. And she knew it could only be one person. She whirled around to see her previous abductor.

He was wearing an expression she had never seen on him before. One of pure shock. She cast him a dirty look. 

"Y-Y-" he began.

"Would love to dance." She said, quickly before mud boy blew her cover. She cast a polite nod to the gentlemen she had been talking to. Gus was regarding her with strange glances now.

She took Artemis's hand and led him away, onto the dance floor. Gritting her teeth, she pulled him closer and they began to dance. She was extremely stiff but as long as it looked natural she didn't care. She could practically feel Gus' eyes on her. 

"Hello Fowl." She said tonelessly. Artemis seemed to have regained his composure.

"Hello Captain Short. I trust you're well. Would it be too much to ask what on earth is going on here?" 

Holly finally allowed the rage that had been boiling up inside her erupt. Even if she could only do it in angry whispers. "Well, for starters mud boy, you nearly blew my cover."

"You can hardly expect me to have anticipated that you would be here. Besides, what are you doing here? I mean, I gather that you are wearing some kind of holographic device but the council would hardly approve of you walking around a formal party."

"That's none of you're concern, Fowl."

"Captain, I thought we were past all grudges."

Holly snorted. "Whatever. It's not as if I loose any sleep over it." She said. But then she recalled her dream and realised that her statement hadn't been entirely true. Maybe some of it showed on her face because he raised an eyebrow.

"Really, well then why did you talk to me before?"

"I didn't know who you were!"

"Come now Captain, there's no need to loose your temper. You must have seen something you liked. You were friendly."

"Well it's a mistake that I won't make again." She said irritably. "Now, I want to ask you some questions and you'll answer truthfully, like a good Mud Boy." She said, layering her voice with the mesmer and letting the full power of her eyes work. "What are you doing here?"

"Filling in for my father, meeting a business associate." Artemis replied evenly.

"Would one of these associates happen to be a Mr Walsh or a Gus Lint?"

"No" He answered.

"Do you know either of these men?" There was a pause. Holly frowned. Questions under the mesmer were usually answered immediately by your subconscious, there was only a pause when higher consciousness was needed. 

"Yes," He said finally. Holly took a breath.

"Which one?"

"Tsu." Holly frowned again. She thought to ask for clarification but wanted to ask the thing that was most important. 

"Are you working with any of them right now, I mean do you have any connection with the Sabres?"

"No." He said clearly.

Holly knew all she needed to. She slowly brought him out of the mesmer. Artemis blinked. Then he seemed to work out what had happened. Holly was walking away when he stopped her. "Was that really necessary?" He asked displaying an uncharacteristic anger. "You could have just asked what you needed to know."

"Like you would really tell me the truth."

"How would you know? You've been in my presence for approximately one hour and you're already making assumptions about my character."

Now Holly was angry. She looked at him straight in the eye. "I don't need to make assumptions. I could write a book on your character. Well you don't need to worry. Your trauma is all over now. No one's gonna hurt poor little Fowl. So you can just go back to whatever shell you've been in for the last half dozen years and let us worry about stopping what may result in another cross-species war."

Artemis was unperturbed by her rage. He smiled slightly. "What's the matter Captain, did you miss me?" 

Holly was on the verge of walking away again when he put a hand on her shoulder."Well, if this may result in a cross-species war, don't you think that I'm entitled to know what's going on. Since it is my species that will probably take the most damage."

Holly was about to say something but then she realised that she silently agreed. "All right." She muttered. "Come over here." People had started to look at them as they had been whispering quite angrily so she brought him over to the hallway that she had rested in earlier.

"We've been tracking a fairy we wanted to question. The LEP….can't know about it so basically it's just me, Foaly and Root. We tracked him up to the surface, where he has been living, disguised. One of his Aliases is Mr Walsh. He has been wearing a holo-…one of these," She said, showing him the one on her wrist. "that makes him appear human. I came disguised to get him. That's all you need to know for now. What concerns you is that it is very conceivable that Walsh has been trading with humans. If he has, you know what that means…" She finished trailing off.

Artemis nodded grimly. "May I see that device?" He asked gesturing to her holo-imager. 

Holly nodded hesitantly. "Just don't take it apart." Artemis knelt down slightly. He looked at it from several different angles, scraped the metal, and looked at the circuitry before standing up again.

"Impressive, Foaly?" 

"The one and only."

"It's strange, the way it works. When I come in physical contact with you," He said touching her arm lightly, "my perception changes." He met her eyes and she found herself wishing that the hallway wasn't so cramped. What's going on? She asked herself. She shook herself and took a step back, letting his arm drop. "I assume that's why only I could see the change when I touched you earlier." He said quickly.

"Yes," She said. She looked away, looking for Lint. Truthfully, she just wanted an excuse not to look at Artemis. His presence had thrown her off guard and now she was confused, she thought. She spotted Lint, he was staring directly at her. "D'arvit!" She swore, she hoped he hadn't recognised her. She turned to Artemis. "Well thanks a lot, Fowl."

Artemis frowned at her sudden change of mood but wisely decided not to comment. Instead, he said; "Do you even have a plan?"

"Of course I do." She snapped. "Just one thing, Mr Walsh has a medical degree right?"

"As far as I know…"

"Good." She said. Then, she stepped out from the hallway. She could feel Gus' eyes on her. Artemis was also watching from behind. Then, she jumped slightly, put her hand in her purse and pulled out a small cell phone. She flipped it open and made it look like she was talking about something serious. Slowly, she put it back in her purse. A quick glance up told her that Gus was still watching.

She took a deep breath before she began. She really sucked at speaking in public.

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A/N: Muhahaha! If you want to find out what Holly says then you'll have to wait. And reviews are always appreciated. The more I get, The more I write!!! (hint hint) 


	8. chapter 7

A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay; writers block. I wont keep you in suspense; on with the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine  
  
Same Place Same Time  
  
Holly took a deep breath before she began. She really sucked at speaking in public.  
  
"Everyone, can I have your attention please," She yelled, over the music. She waited until all eyes were on her before she continued. "I am FBI." (She flashed a badge that Foaly had run up for her before she left). "My partner has just informed me that there has been a mugging outside in an alley down the street. A man was passing by and is now severely injured. The ambulance may be a while so I am asking if anyone here can lend assistance." She waited, hoping.  
  
"This gentleman here said he has a medical degree." A young woman piped up from the back. Holly pretended to search for who she was talking about until her eyes locked with Gus's.  
  
"Is that true?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, I said that. I would be happy to lend my assistance." Gus replied tonelessly.  
  
"Thankyou. Meet me at the elevator in a minute." She paused, layering her voice with the mesmer. "You can all go back to your party now." The party resumed at an almost abnormal pace.  
  
Holly turned around. Artemis raised an eyebrow quizzically. "It was the best I could come up with in the last hour," She explained.  
  
"May I tag along?" Holly considered, before shrugging.  
  
"Just stay out of my way." She warned.  
  
"Naturally." He agreed readily, but something in his voice made her doubt it. She grabbed her coat from the hanger before joining Gus in the elevator. Artemis followed her but was careful to stay a step away from them to give the image that he was merely using the same lift.  
  
Holly was somewhat nervous in Lint's presence. He was far too quiet. Had she done anything that the FBI wouldn't have? She panicked. But it was too late for second thoughts now. Pulling her coat tightly around her, she patted the pockets lightly and felt the reassuring bulge of her weapons. Good. They were still there.  
  
As they stepped outside, a cold chill went down Holly's spine. There was no moon and fairy eyes weren't easily adjusted to the dark. Something strange filled her with a weird sense of foreboding as she led the way into an alley a block away. Artemis followed silently behind them, and still, Gus said nothing.  
  
The alley she had picked was extremely narrow, and in the beginning of it, there was a large Dumpster, preventing more than one person to enter at a time.  
  
Perfect for her surprise attack.  
  
Holly stepped into the alley, making sure that Gus was right behind her. However, she did not avoid the dumpster, instead, in one swift movement, she jumped onto the lid of it, landing stealthily. As she had hoped, Lint seemed unaware, and recklessly walked through the narrow gap into the closed alleyway.  
  
She jumped down again, landing on her toes in front of a surprised Artemis. Gus didn't move. Cautiously, she took out her weapons from their hiding place in her jacket. Gus let out a chuckle.  
  
"Well captain, it seems I have underestimated you for a second time. Rest assured it wont happen again." His voice was eerily calm.  
  
"Lint," She growled. "You knew it was me?"  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"Captain," Artemis began, unable to restrain himself any longer. "I think-"  
  
"Stay out of this." She raised a palm behind her, without taking her eyes off Lint. In doing so, she put up an invisible barrier that would prevent anyone from leaving or trying to come in the alley. Artemis tried to take a step forward but was prevented. Eventually, he shrugged and leaned against the Dumpster.  
  
She obviously thinks she's ten feet tall and bullet-proof. He thought sardonically.  
  
Lint seemed to notice Artemis for the first time. He squinted through the darkness, trying to get a better look at him. "Who's the boy?" He smirked. "Don't tell me the infamous Holly Short needs help from a mud whelp."  
  
Holly didn't react. "The kid? He knows nothing. He's just at the wrong place wrong time. This is between you and me."  
  
"Are you sure, Captain? I really thought you would take my advice from our last encounter." Holly frowned in concentration.  
  
I".besides, you should take better care of watching your back./I" Too late, Holly remembered. "Holly move!" She heard Artemis's voice as if from far away. Luckily, her body was used to reacting faster then her mind could register. She dodged to her left, narrowly missing a burst of red fire that tore through the air. But who was shooting? Gus was unarmed, she was sure.  
  
Looking up, she got her answer. There were four figures, stationed on the rooftops of the buildings that the alley was between. Two to each roof, all were firing at her. She could have kicked herself. A set up! This had all been an elaborate set up for her!  
  
When would she learn to keep her guard up at all times?  
  
Grimly, she lifted her weapons. Before she had left, she had decided that if there was even the slightest possibility that Koboi technology was involved, then she was not walking into a fire fight with weapons that wouldn't work. She had taken a leaf out of Butler's book and was carrying two Smith and Wesson's loaded with real bullets. These babies were mud made.  
  
Taking aim, she tried to shoot the tallest man-on-the-roof. Her aim was too far off. She tried to calm herself, then tried again. This time her aim was true, the bullet hit the man and he fell backwards, out of sight. But she had forgotten about Lint!  
  
Now, the sprite was trying to make it harder for her, he was backing her into the closed alley as she attempted to dodge the beams. Halting, she lowered her weapon to Lint, remembering the primary objective of the mission. Just as she was about to let loose, she felt a beam tear through her arm.  
  
She screamed, the pain was almost unbearable. She gritted her teeth and switched her weapon to her other hand, then had to move to avoid another blast. But the shock had numbed her senses and she tripped, landing on her back. She felt another beam tear through her stomach below her rib cage. She knew there would be a small hole there and that she would start loosing blood fast.  
  
Aiming upwards, she took out another guy off the roof. This time, the man stumbled forwards, meeting the cold stone floor with a sickening thud. The pains of her injuries were unrelenting and deep down inside, she prayed for it all to end. But the stubborn part of her wouldn't let it. Rolling on her side, she raised herself to a half sitting position and aimed once more at Lint.  
  
He seemed shocked that she was alive and stood frozen in place. Without a shred of mercy, she cocked the hammer and let the bullet fly. It hit him in his leg and she sent another into his arm. She rolled, to avoid another blast and when she looked up, Gus was above her, bleeding but enraged. He clumsily kicked the weapon from her hand, it seemed to have consumed the last of his strength because he fell to his knees, as yet another blast tore through her holed body. She felt the shock but couldn't place where it had hit her. Her whole body screamed out in agony.  
  
The blue sparks had already got to work but she wouldn't last long, not with all those itchy trigger fingers on the rooftops.  
  
Then, she watched as a third man fell to the ground. But she hadn't shot him, who had? She strained to look up, ignoring the protest of her damaged limbs, and saw Artemis. Standing a few yards away and holding two guns. He took aim at the last man and his first shot took him out. How had he even gotten through the psyche wall?  
  
A strange euphoria took over her and she thought; amazing, this is the skinny mud boy who was worried about getting his finger nails dirty. She knew she should be worrying about the more pressing issues at hand but her mind didn't seem to want to focus. Artemis walked over to her and knelt until he was in her sight line.  
  
"Captain?" He tried. But she was too far gone. She watched as black splotches clouded her vision until she succumbed to a deep unconsciousness. The last thing she saw was those pale blue eyes.  
  
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Artemis was furious with himself. He had known from the start that getting Walsh into the alley had been suspiciously easy. Of course it was a set up! Now he was trapped between a dumpster and an invisible wall while Holly fought for her life. He beat against the wall with his fists but it didn't give.  
  
Of course not, he scolded himself. This was not the time to loose his temper. He was surprised at himself, it had never happened before. Ah, it seemed that Holly finally had the upper had, she was raising her gun to Walsh. Then a red beam tore through her arm. She cried out.  
  
"Holly!" He shouted, but she was oblivious to his voice as the pain registered across her face. He watched helplessly as she received blast after blast. When he was younger, he had never fully appreciated the pain that people put themselves through when they believed in something. Through the actions of Butler, he had finally begun to understand the commitment and the drive it must take to undergo such anguish. He saw that drive in her as she took the pain relentlessly.  
  
Something distracted his attention from the corner of his eye. One of the men that Holly had shot had fell to the ground, along with his weapon. Artemis attempted to reach it, just as the invisible barrier gave way and he fell forward. He grabbed it and the cool metal was welcome in his hands. If the barrier had given way that meant that Holly's will was weakening. Looking at her, he was amazed that it had held even this long. There wasn't much time.  
  
Artemis recognised the driving force within the elf, but he also had something driving him now. He owed a lot to her, and he was not about to let her get killed. It was time that Artemis Fowl repaid some life debts.  
  
Resolvedly, he stepped into the open and took aim at one of the men on the roof. Butler had trained him well in firearms and Artemis was able to get both of the attackers out of the way. Then he walked over to the body of the elf. Sprawled across the floor, blue sparks were cascading around her body. He looked at Walsh, who was struggling to get up from the bullets in his body. He seemed to be having trouble healing.  
  
Had Holly not been in need of serious attention, he might not have done what he had next. Indeed, in the weeks to come more then one person would live to regret it. He pointed his weapon at Walsh.  
  
"Who are you?" The figure demanded.  
  
"I'm no one. Just like the girl said. An innocent bystander, just looking for a party. Unless you want another bullet in a far more vital organ, however, I suggest that you leave. Now."  
  
Walsh didn't need to be told twice, he stumbled away. "We'll meet again." He promised.  
  
"Count on it." Artemis whispered, not realising that he had repeated the exact phrase that Holly had used a year ago. He moved around her, into her line of sight.  
  
"Holly?" He tried tentatively. A faint moan escaped her lips before she fell unconscious. Artemis heard police sirens approaching (someone had obviously reported the sound of gunfire) and realised that she wouldn't have enough time to heal here.  
  
He briskly took out his cell phone and told Butler to bring the Limo round. Then he gently lifted Holly off the ground- noticing that the beams had struck her more than he had thought- and stared at the small form in awe. 


	9. chapter 8

A/N: Ok, I'm back. Thanks for all the reviews, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I never knew that so many people would read this. Keep reviewing!!! My muse said he would quit if you don't!!! I know that most of you have already read the eternity code by now and I obviously can't compete with Colfer but I've got a good idea where this is going to go now, so don't give up on me!!!  
  
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Eoin Colfer.  
  
Dublin, Ireland Fowl Manor  
  
Holly felt the pain of her previous injuries before she even opened her eyes. When she did open her eyes she found herself in a small room, there were only a few pieces of furniture. The bed she was on, a table across the room, a chair and a security camera attached to the wall above one of the two doors.  
  
But how had she gotten there?  
  
Then it all came back to her in a flash. The last thing she had seen was Artemis, she must be in his mansion. She groaned. Then she quickly looked at her hands and relief flooded through her as she counted all of her digits were still there (the last time she had fallen unconscious with Fowl nearby she had woken up without a trigger finger.)  
  
She did a brief inspection of the rest of her and she was relatively in one piece even though she was still quite sore. There were some things that not even magic could take care of. But why would Fowl bring her here? He could have easily left her in the alley. And had she really seen him save her life? She decided that her brain wasn't ready to ponder such confusing thoughts yet.  
  
She concentrated on getting out of bed. Shakily, she walked to the table in the far corner of the room. She found some fresh fruit waiting for her but she didn't feel like her stomach was ready to digest anything yet. After all, it had been punctured several times with laser beams.  
  
Holly went over to the doors that were adjacent to each other. The first door swung open and revealed a small bathroom, the second-she half expected to be locked- led out into a hallway.  
  
She went into the bathroom and decided that mud man water would have to be good enough for her to clean herself off. She washed her face and hands, cleaning off the residue of grit and blood. It was only when she came out and discovered some fresh clothes on a chair that she realised that she was still wearing the dress that she had worn to the party. It made her stomach lurch to look at it. It had once been beautiful but was now covered in a mess of blood, sweat and mud.  
  
She looked at the fresh clothes then cast a glance at the camera on the wall. "Not a chance, Fowl." She muttered under her breath. She waved goodbye to the camera before sending a shot of blue sparks that would disable it. Then she changed into the mud clothes, deciding to leave the holo-imager on. It ran on a nuclear battery of course.  
  
Once she was finished, she decided she wanted to walk. She left the room and walked aimlessly, letting herself get lost amongst the plush hallways and expensive paintings. She noticed that cameras were placed systematically along every hall.  
  
She felt uncharacteristically nervous about being watched all the time. It was spooky enough having to endure the watchful eyes of many of the Fowls as she walked. As she thought this, she heard some noises emanating from behind a closed doorway. The sound was somewhat familiar, it sounded like fists making contact with bone.  
  
Bracing herself for anything, she cracked open the door and peered in, to be greeted with the sight of a large gym and two people locked in combat, both holding large staffs. "That jab was sloppy." The man commented wryly. Holly had to smile, she hadn't seen Butler or Juliet in a long time but she didn't want to disturb them. She turned to go but before she could take a step out of the door she heard a voice screech excitedly.  
  
"Holly!" Holly turned, only to be caught in a tight hug. Surprised, she didn't know how to react. So she laughed and hugged Juliet back.  
  
"Oh-My-God! It's been so long since I've seen you. Wow! That Holo-thingy is totally cool. You look way human." Holly laughed again. Juliet had to be one of the strangest people she had ever met, the last time she had seen her, she had been holding her hostage. Strangely, she felt as if they had been friends all there life. What do they put in the water here? She wondered.  
  
"Hello Juliet." She managed. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"It's good to see you again, Captain." Butler said warmly.  
  
"Back at you mud man." She grinned and sniffed the air. "Smells like you finally got over that Rad-gel?"  
  
Juliet laughed. "You have no idea how long that took. I mean we had to spray him with-"  
  
"Well," Butler interrupted, his face turning slightly red. Juliet was the only person who had the ability to embarrass him at will. "I hear you've got yourself into more trouble?"  
  
"Trouble isn't the half of it." She stated dismally. The reminder of her situation had jerked her back to reality. She would have to leave soon and report to Root. Butler sensed her change of mood and changed the subject.  
  
"We were just about to switch to hand-to-hand combat. Would you care to join us?"  
  
Holly looked incredulously from Butler's legs, like tree trunks, to his hands, that could crush watermelons. "With you? What are you crazy? I don't have a death wish!" They both laughed. Holly suddenly realised that she had laughed more in the last few minutes then she had in weeks. Maybe reporting to Root could wait, just for a little while.  
  
"How about with me, I could teach you a few things that might help." Juliet offered. Holly thought back to how Gus had outwitted her and kicked the D'arvit out of her a year ago.  
  
"Ok." She agreed. She pulled her hair out of her face and copied the stance that Juliet demonstrated. Butler took a seat on one of the many wooden benches.  
  
"This should be interesting." He muttered.  
  
Butler had been training Juliet for some time now. Since Fowl senior had been rescued, Butler had been constantly switching in between him and Artemis. He was hoping that soon Juliet would be able to take up his mantle with one of them. Her training was progressing well; she really wasn't as lucid as she acted sometimes.  
  
At least when it came to combat and artillery.  
  
The other night, Butler had been waiting for Artemis in the Limo when the phone call had come. He usually didn't accompany Artemis to occasions such as this. Butler had personally trained Artemis in basic self defence and advanced machinery. Surprisingly, Artemis himself had insisted on it a few years ago, as well as buying one of those home gymnasiums from the shopping channel. Of course he had grumbled at the physical exercise but that was to be expected.  
  
In any case, when Butler had brought the Limo round he had been deeply surprised to see Artemis carrying a pretty girl and several guns. When his master was safely in the car he had explained what had happened.  
  
Butler had also observed something remarkable when his young master had been describing how Holly had gotten hurt, there had been hurt in his own voice. Artemis cared for her, a lot more than he knew.  
  
Personally, Butler was glad to see her alive and well. During the goblin insurgence, while working with the elf, she had earned a lot of respect from the manservant. He'd be damned if he let anything happen to her again. He thought, watching her spar with his little sister.  
  
"Enjoying the sights?" Came a voice. Butler jumped, but didn't need to turn to see who it was.  
  
"Are you?" Butler asked Artemis. Artemis went quiet. That was strange, Butler thought.  
  
A/N: Hehehe, sorry, this wasn't supposed to be another cliffy. I know it was short but, as usual, it's a set up for the next chapter where the plot will thicken. (There is a plot, for those of you wondering). I'll try to update soon but in the mean time, click on the little purple button and tell me what you think! 


	10. chapter 9

A/N: Wow! That's the most reviews I've ever got in one day!!! YAY! I'm appreciated. YAY! People are reading this. YAY! I've just finished my exams!  
  
Sorry about that, I'm a bit hyper right now. Hehehe, I loved writing this chapter.  
  
I love you people! I don't think I have to tell you to keep reviewing!  
  
Disclaimer: All belongs to Eoin Colfer, except for this plot which I am now proud to say is mine!  
  
Fowl Manor Dublin Ireland Artemis's POV  
  
Artemis had been observing Holly off and on since he had brought her to Fowl manor. When he had gotten her away from the alley that night, his house had been the logical place to bring her. He still felt indebted to the Elf after all those years and despite what she may think of him, he wasn't evil.  
  
He had phoned ahead and told Juliet to set up a room for their unexpected 'guest', relating the less embarrassing details of their meeting. He had briefly considered setting her up in the room she had been held captive in but had decided against it, that idea was a little too twisted.  
  
He felt a little guilty watching her, but it was completely possible that she would hurt herself. Her healing had been a violent one and Artemis had had to restrain her thrashing arms and legs through some of the journey home.  
  
Other than that, he had been mildly surprised to see that she was deceivingly peaceful while she slept. Artemis decided that the tough persona that she displayed normally was only a façade. A mask. Hiding some deep seated emotion. This was something that he did automatically, analysing people's character. Some people thought it was him being rude but he honestly couldn't help it.  
  
Artemis looked up at the monitor now. But Holly wasn't there! A brief moment of irrational panic swept over him until he thought to check the other screens and found her walking among one of the hallways, scowling at a portrait of his great grandfather.  
  
Artemis took a deep breath and thought to dissect his sudden burst of emotion but found that he kept getting distracted. He followed her progress as she went down numerous corridors, with apparently no destination in mind. Resignedly, he decided that he clearly wasn't getting any work done so he may as well go and talk to her now.  
  
It took him only a few minutes to locate her. She was in the second training room, taking a 'lesson' from Juliet. Butler had taken a seat close to the door and was watching with obvious amusement.  
  
Artemis felt no need to interrupt immediately so he took a seat behind Butler and watched. It was really more verbal sparing then actual contact. He almost chuckled when Holly used his name as a distraction.  
  
The captain was definitely feeling better then. It was remarkable, that fairy magic. She had been shot four times with a high voltage gun, and now, one day later was alive and kicking. If somewhat sloppily.  
  
Artemis was also aware of another thing. Holly's attitude seemed to have changed completely. This carefree, light girl who laughed every few seconds was totally unlike the reserved, fierce Captain Short that he had become accustomed to. Maybe he had never truly known her at all.  
  
He noticed Butler watching closely too. "Enjoying the sights?" He asked dryly. Butler jumped but didn't turn.  
  
"Are you?" Artemis was forced back into his thoughts again. He really was placing too much efforts on thoughts of Holly. So that meant...what?  
  
Holly hadn't has this much fun in a long time. She felt unreasonably happy and light. It had been a long time since she had engaged in a physical activity purely for fun. She found herself enjoying every second of it.  
  
Straightening up suddenly and staring at the blank wall behind Juliet, she suddenly feigned shock. "Artemis?" She exclaimed. Juliet instantly turned from her fighting stance and looked at the empty space behind her. Holly quickly tripped her up while she was distracted. That one, she had learned from Julius Root.  
  
"Hey, no fair!" Juliet protested, getting up.  
  
Holly laughed. "Everything's fair!"  
  
Juliet scowled. "What's the matter, old woman? Too frail and wrinkly to fight properly?" She asked throwing several punches. Holly averted them easily and laughed again.  
  
"Hey, you'll be old and wrinkly long before I will. Besides, you- should.treat your elders with respect." She added, missing a kick. Juliet threw the elf to the floor.  
  
"Wrestle-mania, eat your heart out." Holly looked up amusedly from the floor.  
  
"Careful, mud girl. Unless you want to be watching the newly installed wall sized tv with wrestle-mania all day."  
  
"Yeah, because that would be original." Juliet muttered. Holly stayed down, laughing uncontrollably.  
  
".Hogmaaan!" She choked. She flipped up, feet first. Juliet fumed.  
  
"That's it, I'm gonna kick your-"  
  
"I apologise for interrupting your little dispute," A voice came, making both girls jump. ".But would it be possible for me to talk with our esteemed 'guest'?" Holly turned to see Fowl, sitting on a bench behind Butler. Amazing! She hadn't even heard him come in. She automatically straightened up, meeting his gaze. "I will wait outside." He finished, standing up leaving the room.  
  
Holly turned back to Juliet. "Rematch?" She asked.  
  
"Sure. Don't think you're getting away that easily, elf-girl."  
  
Holly had to laugh. "I'm shaking." She stepped outside. Fowl was waiting for her. He gestured for her to follow him and led her a short distance, into a library. The walls were lined with countless scripts, all well kept and undamaged. They stood there for a second, somewhat awkwardly.  
  
"How do you feel?" Artemis asked finally. Holly was taken aback. There wasn't a trace of concern on his face but the fact that he had asked at all was surprising. Still guarded, she folded her arms across her chest.  
  
"I'll live. So what now? Are you going to tell me I can't leave your house?"  
  
Artemis hardly reacted. "If I did endeavour to kidnap you again do you really believe that I would leave your door unlocked and allow you to wander freely about the grounds of my abode?"  
  
"No," She admitted. "But then, why bring me here at all?"  
  
"You were injured. Did you really expect me to leave you in that alley?"  
  
"That's what the Fowl I knew would have done." She muttered.  
  
"What makes you think you know me?" He asked simply. That made her pause. "No answer? Well in that case maybe you can answer something else. What exactly is the situation below ground?"  
  
"I already told you all I could. And I really shouldn't have told you even that. Now, what happened to Walsh?"  
  
"He got away."  
  
"WHAT?" Holly screeched. "B-but he had bullets in him, and you had two guns! How could you let him escape?" Holly was furious.  
  
"I was a little preoccupied carrying you away." He replied calmly.  
  
Now Holly was stunned. "You carried me? Why? I-I mean thanyou." Then she was guarded again. "Well, now I've screwed up again. I've got to go. What happened to my communicator?" It had been in her purse. "Round device?" Artemis inquired. "I'm afraid it was beyond repair by the time we arrived here. You did receive one message however, from Foaly."  
  
"What did he say?" Holly demanded urgently.  
  
Artemis paused to recall the message from memory. "Root has been RFC'd. Council searching for you. Incoming shuttles blocked by Sabres. Contact me on private frequency. Yatush Cra."  
  
Holly had to lean on the wall for support, shock coursing through her body. How could things have gone so wrong?  
  
"I take it things aren't going according to plan." Artemis stated. Holly began walking towards the door. "I wouldn't leave yet. It's ten o'clock in the morning." Holly stopped and turned on her heel.  
  
"And what so you propose I do mud boy?" She asked. She could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes but she forced them back. She would not cry in front of Fowl.  
  
"Well to start with, you could reframe from calling me mud boy. As you can plainly see I am no longer a child." It was true, Holly could see that Artemis had matured but she really wasn't in the mood to agree.  
  
"Aww, you think your all grown up. Well you are still a child compared to me. I will address you how I please for the short time that I am forced to remain in your presence."  
  
"You know, you don't have to keep finding reasons to distance yourself from me. It's not as if you're human." He replied tonelessly. Holly fumed at his lack of emotion, she knew it was irrational but his superior attitude made her even angrier.  
  
"I'm more human than you are." She spat.  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Artemis asked.  
  
"I'm talking about your whole attitude. Show no emotion, feel no emotion. It seems to be working really well for you. It's making sure you can go on hurting people with a clear conscience. Hey! Maybe that's why you haven't got any friends. Tell me Fowl, what are doing? Trying to protect you from getting hurt? Or trying to protect others from seeing the real you? It must be a dark and rotten place inside of you."  
  
Artemis was taken aback by her outburst. Holly's words had just spilled out of her, but they had rung true in her head. "No answer?" She mocked, turning his words on him.  
  
"Whatever. Later mud-man" She said sarcastically, turning on her heel and leaving the library. She stomped back to her 'room' and slumped onto the bed. Finally, she allowed the grief to wash over her, and began to cry. RFC was LEP code for removed from commission. It was only ever used when the person had been killed. 


	11. chapter 10

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A/N: If you don't like spoilers then don't read this next paragraph; 

Ok, I know a lot of you are ready to kill me for the last chapter but don't be too mad!! I think you're forgetting that Root's a lot smarter then he looks. I hope I haven't ruined it for you. Keep reading there's a lot more surprises in store. 

Well, things may slow down a bit in this chapter but I'll try to get the next one up quick so you won't get bored. I got a lot of praise for the Juliet/Holly fight, * blushes profusely* so if you like that kind of thing then you wont be disappointed. R&R people!

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Disclaimer: Same as the last page

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Holly awoke two hours later. Actually, she couldn't even remember having fallen asleep but she could feel that her cheeks were stained with tears. Doggedly, she got up and went to wash her face. Her grief over her dead Commander was never far away. He had been like a father to her, albeit one who yelled at her on a regular basis.

The loss had crushed her spirit somewhat and more then anything she felt profoundly alone.

But she knew what to do, she thought. She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes were red and puffy and she didn't feel capable of a smile but her head was crystal clear. She had another communicator in the apartment that she was staying in. She would contact Foaly and find out as much as possible about the situation below ground. If things were as bad as she feared, then she would not be able to get down there alone.

She would hunt down Gus Lint no matter what. She would hunt him down and make him pay for what her did to Julius Root, she vowed.

She began to gather her things. Not that there was much apart from her sealed acorn and her copy of the Book. She didn't need her ruined dress or communicator but she grabbed her purse with her many human ID's and credit cards. 

She wanted her guns. It would take too long to purchase more. Obviously, Fowl had them somewhere. Holly was just about to leave the room when she bumped into Butler. He stepped into the room casually, not seeming surprised by her evident intention to leave.

"May I have a word?" 

Holly moved to let him in. "It better be quick." She agreed.

"Artemis has requested your company for lunch." He stated briskly.

Holly scoffed. "What? He expects me to have lunch with him after the argument we just had? This guy is unbelievable! I don't have time for this." She tried to go but Butler stopped her with hand on her arm.

"Holly, I would appreciate it if you would accept the invitation." Butler said, speaking as a friend rather than a body guard.

"Is that an order?" She asked suspiciously.

"It's a request. As a favour to me." Holly looked up at the manservant. She couldn't bring herself to deny him this favour but dragged it out nonetheless. 

"Why?" She asked. Butler hesitated.

"Artemis is not used to being around people. He does not know how to behave or how to earn their respect. But I do believe he is concerned about you."

"About me?" Holly asked, amazed.

Butler smiled gently. "Yes. He is very concerned for your safety. You should have seen how agitated he was when you were injured. He did not let you out of his sight. Artemis may not express his emotions often but he does feel them. I believe he has harboured a lot of guilt from what he put you through before and feels protective of you as a result of it."

Although surprised, Holly saw the truth in his words. She should have been grateful for what Artemis had done for her, instead of harbouring petty grudges and taking out her anger on him. After all, he had effectively saved her life.

"OK," She agreed. "I'll be down in ten." At least she would be able to ask about her guns, she thought. Butler patted her shoulder appreciatively before leaving the room. Holly allowed herself to sit quietly and silence her thoughts for a while before preparing herself to do something she never thought she would; apologise to Artemis Fowl.

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Artemis was seated in the second living room. Holly's words kept replaying in his head. They had stung a lot, not only because of her harsh tone but because, as she said them, he realised the truth in them and felt ultimately alone.

She must really hate me, he thought. It was predominantly depressing to know that someone felt that strongly about him.

He was distracted from his thoughts by a small shuffling sound from the far corner. He looked up to see Holly, slowly entering the room. He was surprised she had accepted his offer at all.

He was taken aback by her appearance. He pretty eyes were red and sore and she carried about an air of profound exhaustion. This fragile creature was unlike what he had observed before. She was neither light nor carefree, nor was she guarded and tough. More than anything she just looked like a girl who had seen too much.

"Captain." He gestured for her to take a seat across the table. She did so without a word.

An awkward silence passed over them, until Holly finally said, "Look, I want to apologise for what I said before. I didn't mean to be so cruel." She began. It was obvious that just saying this was taking a lot out of her and Artemis was stunned by her words. "I know I should be grateful for everything you've done. And before, I was just looking for someone to blame. I didn't mean to offend you. I shouldn't be holding unnecessary grudges. I would like to start over. We're all square now." She raised her eyes to meet his. "I don't have a lot of friends left, but I hope I have an ally in you."

"I hope so too." He said softly. Her words had moved him. "So what did you mean when you said that you don't have many friends 'left'?" He asked hesitantly, looking at the untouched lunch.

When he looked up, tears were welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill. She bit her lip. "Commander Root is dead." She said simply.

And she didn't have to say anymore. That explained it. That explained her dramatic change in character, her sudden outbursts of rage, her bloodshot eyes. Commander Root was dead, Holly had lost her only father figure. And Artemis Fowl knew first hand what that felt like.

Unsure what to do, he walked over to her and place a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said. And that was enough. 

The tears finally spilled from her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. She succumbed to the sobs that shook her whole body and Artemis stayed by her through the whole of it, not saying anything, just staying there and hoping that his presence helped a little. And as he watched her wallow in the depths of grief and depression, and felt her pain almost as much as she did, the realisation struck him. He cared for her, a whole lot more then he should have.

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Holly awoke but did not open her eyes. She knew where she was and didn't want to confirm it. It wasn't like the day before, she remembered exactly what had happened the last night. Much to her disgrace.

She had one the one thing that she swore she would never do. She had broken down in front of Artemis Fowl.

Holly had never felt so vulnerable or so exposed in her entire life. But once the first tear had trickled down her cheek, she had been unable to hold them back anymore. When she had agreed to go to lunch she had been sure that the mourning had been out of her system. But she had been deluding herself, doubtless she would never be able to get over this loss.

And now she was stuck in Fowl Manor for another morning when she should be out there and trying to work out the Sabre problem. Guilt flooded through her as she thought how bad things must have got below ground. And what are you gonna do about it? She asked herself. It wasn't as though she could just waltz down there and take back Haven. What she needed was a plan.

She groaned and rolled out of bed. You're in a criminal mastermind's house and you're struggling to come up with a plan? She thought. She knew what she should do. She should swallow her pride and ask Fowl for help. Indeed, her malice for him had all but disappeared, but something from deep inside of her warned her against it.

She left her room only to crash into someone in the hallway again. She looked up into blue eyes and took a step back.

"Erm, Captain, I was just looking for you." Artemis stated. Holly didn't reply, she was half expecting a snide remark about the other night. "Would you mind sparing a few moments?" Artemis asked. Holly nodded, still not ready for words.

Presently, he led her to a room where all the surveillance equipment was kept. Holly remembered it from her last visit to Fowl Manor. "This brings back memories." She muttered. Artemis decided to ignore the comment. Instead, he walked over to the end of the room and turned to face her. He was straight to the point.

"I realise that I am not privy to the exact details of your current assignment, but I was wondering if you could enlighten me about this." He said, turning on one of the screens. The monitor came to life to show a view of the exterior of Fowl Manor. It was pointed at the sky.

This was, in fact, the same monitor that Artemis had programmed to slow down every frame, in order to make it possible for him to see shielded fairies. But Holly wasn't to know this. All she saw was a small team of fairies, hovering above Fowl Manor, apparently waiting for something. Or someone.

They were in LEP uniform and Holly spotted many officers she knew. She groaned.

"Friends of yours?" Artemis inquired. Holly shivered involuntarily, sometimes she worried that he could read her mind. "Because if they are," He continued listlessly, "then it would make it a lot easier for you to tell them to leave my property."

"I…can't" Holly said lamely.

"Well then, maybe Butler could go out and persuade them…" He took a few steps towards the door. Holly grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" She said. "I can't tell them I'm here. It will mean the end of my career. No one knows about this except Root and Foaly, and now Root's gone and I don't know who's in charge. Don't you see? He might even want you mind wiped after this and with the current…situation below ground, things are a whole lot more complicated then they seem." She paused, realising that she was still holding his arm and let go hurriedly.

Artemis raised an eyebrow a fraction. "Some of the council members are corrupt?" He deduced.

Holly sunk into a chair. She had done it. She had admitted to the People's most formidable opponent how vulnerable Haven was.

Artemis noticed her mood and knelt down beside her, meeting her gaze steadily. "I said that the people were safe from me many years ago, and I meant it." Holly believed him. It was too hard not to. Now she had come this far, she only had one more hurdle to jump.

"Can you help me?" She asked meekly.

"Just tell me what you need." He said simply. Holly felt an irrational outburst of relief flood through her. She was no longer alone. 


	12. chapter 11

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Disclaimer: All characters are property of Eoin Colfer.

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The group sat in the Library for the briefing. Of course the group only consisted of Butler, Holly and Artemis but the briefing is what is important. Once Butler had heard about the situation, Artemis didn't even have to ask for his help. He had insisted. 

"Captain, if you will begin." Artemis invited.

"Well, as far as I can tell, that's Recon out there, so they definitely wont attack or anything. They're probably here only to assess the situation." 

"And, what exactly is the situation?"

Holly winced. "Well technically, I'm not supposed to be here, so if they find out for sure that I am, they'll probably think that you kidnapped me again."

"Excellent." Artemis said sardonically. "So they'll do a time-stop, I'll ask for gold, they'll send in a bio-bomb, I'll escape the time-stop and I'll have another few million for my fortune."

"Haha" Holly scowled.

"Why don't you just contact Foaly and tell him to make the LEP stop sending officers." Butler suggested.

Holly glanced at Artemis. "Well firstly, Foaly doesn't have that kind of authority and I don't know who's in charge now and secondly-"

"We lost her communicator." Artemis finished.

Then Holly remembered something. "No, wait. I have a secondary communicator in my helmet. But that's at my apartment on the other side of Ireland."

"So all you need to do is get there without being seen, but they are posted along all the gates."

"But I don't know what Foaly can do for me. How can he really help?"

Artemis was thoughtful. "What does 'Yatush Cra' mean?"

Holly frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"It's what Foaly said at the end of his message. Humour me."

"It means a lot of things; watch your back, danger ahead, trouble's coming, be careful, take care. Take your pick."

Artemis thought for a while before saying. "So who are the Sabres?"

Holly sighed. "A group of masked vigilantes bent on destroying Haven as we know it, and apparently bringing down the LEP. Our guy Walsh was one of the ring leaders, a sprite by the name of-"

"Wait, so you're saying that the Sabres could have already taken over Haven?"

"It's conceivable." Holly admitted. She explained about the public's attitude towards them and about some of the council members turning a blind eye.

"I think you've been overlooking something important, Captain. From what you've told me, this organisation sprung up out of nowhere, how did they do this? And more importantly, what is their ultimate goal? It has to be something worth all this careful preparation."

"Agreed." Holly said. "But I guess I won't be able to do that without talking to Foaly first. I just need your help to get out of here. Oh, and I need my guns back." Artemis sent Butler to retrieve them.

"I don't like this." Butler, said when he was back. "You're stumbling blindly in the dark. Besides, we'll have to somehow prove that you're not here if we want your friends to leave peacefully."

"I appreciate your concern, but it's my problem. As for Recon, leave that to me." Holly assured him.

Butler stood up. "Well there is a way out of here that will get us past them, but it isn't pretty." He said.

"How do we disembark?" Artemis asked. He didn't need an answer, the look on Butler's face was enough.`` 

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A/N: Ok, short chapter, I know. But the next one will be twice as long so don't worry. R+R people!


	13. chapter 12

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A/N: You know what? I've just realised that I don't respond directly to your reviews, which you really deserve for all your support. Ok, so I'm gonna start now, by responding to your most recent ones.

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Kalariah: I hate to disappoint you, but the way they escape is actually pretty simple. I didn't want to make it such a big part of the story, as there is still a lot to cover. Thanks for reviewing!, and you can tell me if you think I've rushed it too much.

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bmw: Muhahaha, I live to torture you!

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Chrysgurl: I'm glad you've got chapter 11. You were worrying me there for a while! I thought that I'd uploaded it wrong or something. 

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Spontaneous human combustion: Sorry, I tend to do that; use lines from the book without realising it. I'll try not to disappoint you. 

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A few centuries ago, Charles Fowl had been ruler of Fowl manor. And with all that wealth, needless to say that he was really paranoid and had devised several escape routes for him to leave Fowl manor. The most elaborate of which was a cleverly hidden underground tunnel that lead out of Fowl grounds and reappeared on a farm a few miles away. 

However, at about the turn of the century, the tunnel had been diverted and converted into a private sewer system that linked on to the general one. It was through this tunnel that our heroes managed to escape (after they had donned some insulation suits to fool recon's sensors). But due to the profuse cursing of them and threats of legal action from one young Fowl's lawyer, I feel no need to make an account of it. 

When the frustrated trio reached the farm, Butler was able to arrange for a car to be brought to them and they drove to Holly's appartment.

The apartment complex itself was modest to say the least. Although it was quite a few stories high. Holly stepped out of the car and move so Artemis could too. Butler was already out and changing a flat tire that he had just discovered.

On the car ride over, Artemis had received an urgent phone call that called for him to come to one of his offices. It disheartened Holly slightly, for a reason she couldn't place to know that they would part soon.

"Well Capt- Holly-"

"Thank you." She interrupted. "I wouldn't have made it out of that alley if it weren't for you. I meant it when I said we were allies."

"You do realise if you need any further assistance-" Artemis murmured. 

Holly couldn't stop a smile from spreading over her face. Despite her better judgement and everything that was sane in the world, she realised that she would miss him. "And if you ever need help." Holly returned. "Remember, Four minutes."

"I won't forget."

Holly turned to go, feeling good about their parting. She walked into her apartment complex. She took the stairs two at a time and fumbled for her keys. When she opened her door, a shiver went down her spine and an instant sense of foreboding claimed her. She had to swallow. Nothing's wrong, it's your imagination. She told herself uncertainly.

Nonetheless, she went straight for her helmet and switched on to a private frequency. She walked to the window and could just make out Butler's car in the lot.

"Foaly, do you read me?" There was a crackle of static before;

"Holly! Holly, you're OK?" The centaur's voice seemed different. All the sarcasm had been drained from it. Holly knew it then without a doubt Root was dead. Whatever reminiscence of hope she had had left for her friend and Commander flickered and died within her. "You got my message?"

"Yes. It was accurate?" She asked, knowing the answer.

The centaur was solemn. "I'm afraid so." Holly sighed and leaned gently against the glass window, pulling off her Holo-imager and placing it on her chest of drawers.

"How are things below ground?"

"Bad. Really bad. I can't understand how-" Holly felt the unmistakable feeling of a barrel of a gun, being pressed against her temple.

"Put it down." Came a rough voice. Slowly, Holly placed the helmet on her chest of drawers beside her holo-imager. Foaly was saying something but she could hear nothing but the roaring in her ears. She had been caught unaware too many times. 

"I don't know who you are, but you picked the wrong day to mess with me." She said. Without hesitation, she grabbed the man's gun hand and jerked it upwards, dislodging his hold on his weapon. Then, she twisted her body and brought him over her head, using a throw that Juliet had taught her. Thank God for energetic teenagers, she thought. Except she had forgotten about the window being in front of her and her attacker crashed through the glass and sailed into the night air.

She whirled around, just as several figures unshielded in front of her. One of them flicked a light on and she was greeted with the sight of the whole of LEPretrieval one.

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Downstairs, Butler was changing a flat tire, and Artemis was talking on his cell phone when the sound of breaking glass reached both their ears.

Artemis looked up to see that a window on the twelfth story had just shattered. "Holly." They said in unison. It was maybe the first time that Artemis reacted faster then Butler, he was sprinting towards the building before Butler could cock his Sig Sauer. And for those who don't know, that's pretty fast.

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"You didn't have to throw me so hard." Grub Kelp complained as he flew haphazardly back into the room. He had been Holly's "attacker."

Holly ignored him, looking straight at Trouble. "What are you doing here?" She demanded. Trouble didn't seem to want to meet her gaze.

"I'm under orders to bring you in, Captain."

"To-to bring me in?" Holly repeated, feeling dazed. "What are you talking about?" Trouble still didn't look up but his fists tightened around his weapon.

"You've been charged of betraying LEP secrets and consorting with humans. You're even in disguise. Y-"

"You can't seriously believe that!" Holly searched his eyes. "Come on Trub, we've worked together for so many years. You know me. You know I wouldn't-" Holly was cut short by a small pain piercing her arm. One of the officers had just jabbed her with an injection. She quickly pulled the needle from her skin and took a step back, outraged.

"I'm sorry, my orders were to administer that as soon as we found you, then arrest you. Try not to fight it, it's just DTS." Trouble said quickly. Holly stared at him murderously, her jaw clenched.

"I was about to say that we were friends. Maybe I was wrong." She looked all the other officers. "And the rest of you? You all think I'd break the law? I guess I really am alone." She got a glint in her eye that Trouble recognised well.

"Holly-"

"No." She said, reaching for her gun in her jacket.

"Holly, don't do this." She grabbed her gun and lashed out another arm, grabbing Grub by the neck, pulling him in front of her as a shield. The rest of LEPretrieval automatically snapped up their weapons, taking aim at her. Grub struggled in her grip, moaning about 'mummy'. Holly returned his favour from earlier, pressing the barrel of her gun to his temple.

"Put the gun down, Holly. I can help you. Come on, we both know that you're not going to shoot Grub." 

Holly stared at him dangerously. "You know what? I was wrong. You really don't know me." She cocked the hammer of the gun. Grub struggled and wrenched, Trouble gulped audibly. 

"Holly please, don't make me-"

"Who's giving the orders now?" She demanded. Trouble looked at her strangely. 

"My orders come straight from Root."

Holly shook Grub. "The truth! Root's dead!" She yelled.

"Holly, I spoke to him this morning."

"He can't have." Foaly's voice crackled from Holly's helmet. They all jumped, Holly had forgotten that the centaur was there.

"I did." Trouble reiterated.

"He's lying." Foaly stated. The tension in the room escalated and Holly felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Just put the gun down." Trouble pleaded.

"Don't do it, Holly. Something isn't right."

"Please Holly, Foaly isn't-"

"I saw him die with my own eyes!"

"Foaly, I swear I'll-"

Suddenly, the door of the apartment opened. Everyone stood, frozen in place. The tension had been building up so much that this was the last thing anyone had expected. Artemis stepped into the room and looked around, taking in the situation. "Erm, wrong apartment?" He tried.

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A/N: heheehe! Like I said, I live to torture. Actually, I'm feeling generous, so the next chapter might be up today.


	14. chapter 13

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Disclaimer: Well, none of the characters belong to me (no matter how much I wish they did) they are all property of Eoin Colfer.

So, where were we? Oh yeah…………

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Artemis stepped into the room and looked around, taking in the situation. "Erm, wrong apartment?" He tried.

Half of retrieval snapped their weapons up to him while the other half kept theirs pointed at Holly. Trouble seemed torn. "I really can't leave you alone for more than a minute, can I captain?" Artemis jibed.

"What can I say, Trouble came a-knocking." Holly muttered.

"Who is he?" Trouble demanded.

"Pizza guy." Holly said evenly.

"He called you 'Captain'."

"What can I say? The poor kid has a crush on me. He follows me around a lot. Let him go Trub. He wont tell anyone." Artemis raised an eyebrow but kept quiet. Trouble still may have complied had Butler not come bursting into the room. There was a guy you could never forget.

"Artemis! What do you think you're doing? I thought I told you to _never, ever_ walk into an unsecured-" Butler seemed to notice the other people in the room. "Hey, I recognise you." He told one of the Corporals. At any other time, Holly would have laughed; she could practically feel the team's fear.

"Fowl and his manservant!" Trouble exclaimed. "What in the name of Frond is-"

"I suggest you tell your team to stand down." Artemis remarked coolly. "As I'm sure you know from previous experience, Butler is more then capable of dealing with you all." Several of the officers winced, but none lowered their weapons.

Trouble eyed the manservant shrewdly. "But you wont, will you? You can't run the risk of your charge getting hurt in the crossfire." Trouble didn't need an answer, they all knew he was right.

Holly could feel weariness taking over, it was hard to think. "Trouble, please. Don't hurt them. I asked for their help. She said, trying desperately to regain some control of the situation. Grub stood strangely still, muttering about his mummy. "You don't understand the whole situation."

Trouble glanced from the humans to Holly, unconvinced. "They've done nothing wrong. They're my friends." The words were out of Holly's mouth before she realised what she was saying, but a small part of her knew it was true. She couldn't stop, though, she could see Trouble's resolve was weakening. "_You're_ my friend. How long have we worked together?" She looked around at the familiar faces. "All of us? You all know me like family. I've never asked anything of you. Until now. Now I'm asking you for one hour. One hour to explain everything, and if you're not convinced after that then I'll promise I'll come peacefully," 

All eyes were on Holly, Trouble met her gaze for a moment before nodding to his team. They were only too happy to comply. They all dropped their weapons readily.

Holly lowered her own and smiled gratefully at Trouble. "Thankyou." She said. She took a step forward before her knees bucked beneath her and she fell to the floor, unconscious.

There was a stunned silence, it was only broken by Grub Kelp, who, after a brief examination of the gun in Holly's hand, looked up at his team and the two humans and said; "It's empty. It wasn't even loaded."

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Authors Note: So what do you think? Good? Bad? Click on the purple button and lemme know!


	15. chapter 14

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A/N: hehe, thanks for the reviews. Sorry I took so long to update, but I had loads of work due in at school and was getting behind. Anyway, you don't wanna hear about that, you want to read the next chappie right?

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x-silver-saffire-x : Hey, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Umm..yeah, Holly does seem to be unconscious a lot through my story. You wont believe this but I don't mean for it to keep happening. It's just the way things play out. You'll find out what DTS means in this chapter. Enjoy…

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Night: *blushes * thanks for the compliments, and don't feel sorry for Arty, there's things about him at the moment that you don't know. Muhahaha.

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Spontaneous human combustion: hey, I'm glad you're still reading this! I was pretty convinced that I was loosing more readers per chapter. Every D'arvit in this chapter is dedicated to you!

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Bmw: lol, I'm working on a new schedule as you read this. Feel free to carry on hounding me. I hope you like the next chapter.

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Chrysgurl: wow, I can make people go insane? Cool. *goes mad with power* I'm sorry that I am kind of slow at the moment. I'll try not to keep you waiting for so long in future.

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artemis.fowl@voila.fr: I don't accept anonymous reviews? Sorry, I didn't know. I'll see if I can fix that. Keep rnrn!!!

Ok, I don't wanna sound greedy or anything, but I'm getting addicted to reviews. GIMME MORE!!! Please?

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Artemis stood in the corner of the room, reviewing the situation. LEPretrieval were stationed around the room, taking any seat available, the floor, the sofa's, even the coffee table. Despite their laid-back appearance, it was obvious that they were professionals. They kept their weapons ready at their sides at all times and never blocked each other's line of fire. 

Holly had been moved to the couch, by a few of the retrieval guys and was resting motionlessly. Butler seemed to be watching the team with visible hostility. Artemis felt that he needed to say something, if only to lighten the mood. They weren't enemies after all.

"So, why exactly is she unconscious anyway?"

The elf that Holly had referred to as 'Trouble' looked at him and scowled. "I thought you were supposed to be a genius." 

Artemis was indifferent. "I am. At least by your standards." Artemis finally noticed the broken vial and syringe on the floor. "You injected her?" He inquired. The manservant could definitely hear anger creeping into his young master's voice, even if no one else could.

Trouble looked guiltily at the sleeping Captain. "I had to. I had my orders. It's just DTS. I wouldn't have agreed if they'd ordered me to give her anything dangerous."

"DTS?"

"Delayed Truth Serum." Trouble explained. "It's kicks in after a set period of time. It's highly affective but is known for its side affects."

"Like loosing consciousness." Artemis added. 

"No wonder she tried to shoot your brother." Butler muttered. Artemis looked up, surprised at the manservant's words. He usually didn't offer an opinion on anything.

Grub was sullen. "With an empty gun too. What? I'm not even worth a bullet? Wait 'til mummy hears about this. I'll sue!"

"Put a sock in it Grub." Holly ordered, sitting up slowly. She put a hand to her head and looked around at the unlikely assembly, embarrassed. "Sorry. That seems to be happening a lot lately."

"Finally." A short sprite said. "I was getting sick to death of listening to mud talk."

"Quiet Corporal." Trouble said firmly. "Now, start talking Short. We're all risking a lot here. First of all, I want to know what the mud men are doing here."

"I'd like to know that too." Holly looked questioningly at Artemis. "I thought you were on your way to some kind of meeting. Why are you up here?"

Artemis' expression was unreadable. "I thought that Foaly's message was suspicious. Now I know for sure."

"Of course!" Holly exclaimed. "Yatush Cra. Trouble's coming! But, wait. You didn't answer my question. What are you doing up here?" Holly's gaze met with Artemis, and for a breathless moment, she thought she saw something there. She had to shake herself to look away.

"What about my question?" Trouble demanded, feeling that he was being left out of something important.

Holly began to tell him how they had run into each other at the party, for some reason subconsciously leaving out the bit about their dance until she remembered something. "Foaly!" She exclaimed mid-sentence. 

She stumbled over to her helmet that lay on her chest of drawers and turned on the communicator. Artemis saw where she was going and joined her. "Do you think he's still there?" He asked. A crackle of static and a sardonic voice was his answer.

"Do my horse ears deceive me? This can't be young master Fowl now can it? And all grown up too."

Holly grinned at the sound of her friend's voice. Maybe no all of the old sarcasm was gone. "Foaly, were you listening to all this?" She interrupted before Artemis could come back with a pithy remark.

"Naturally." He replied. "You really can't keep that temper in check, can you now?" Butler and several of the officers had to hide a grin.

Holly blushed. "So you knew about LEPretrieval and tried to warn me with your last message. Why couldn't you just tell me straight out?"

"An annoying corporal kept interrupting me so I had to say as little as possible, and even then in the old tongue."

Trouble glared at her impatiently. "Oh, right." She remembered. "So umm&⁷hat the D'arvit is going on here?"

"You expect me to know?" He asked. Holly fumed.

"OK, there's no need to panic." Trouble said, recognising the warning signs of a Holly explosion. "Just tell me what you know."

"Apparently, I've been charged of betraying LEP secrets and consorting with humans. Officers that I've worked with my whole career have just injected me with DTS, Foaly's telling me that Root is dead but Trouble claims to have come straight from him. Artemis Fowl has saved my life and now LEPrecon are stationed all outside his manor. Sabres are taking over the law in Haven and blocking incoming shuttles to look for me. We don't know what they want or where they came from and the only Sprite that we know of and that could have answered our questions knows that I'm on to him and is probably sucking on a cigar in the most heavily guarded mansion above ground." Holly had to take a deep breath before looking at Trouble sweetly. "If that isn't reason to panic, then I don't know what is."

"Don't forget the corrupt officers," Artemis added amusedly. 

Holly suddenly remembered that there were unknown corrupt officers among the LEP. If they were unknown, then didn't that mean that they could be anyone? She looked around at the assembled officers. No. She told herself firmly. She had entrusted her life to these people many times and knew that they wouldn't betray her. 

"OK." Trouble said finally. "We've got to tackle this one problem at a time." Holly could see that Trouble was reaffirming his command over his officers and didn't interrupt. "First of all; Holly. What are you doing above ground, the full story."

Holly nodded and told them briefly of her encounter with Gus the previous year, then of Root sending her to the surface undercover to find out about him and expose the sabres. Artemis and Butler listened intently, never having heard the full story. She finished with her getting injured and of Artemis taking her to Fowl manor to heal.

Trouble was silent for a while. "This makes no sense." He murmured. "Why would Root send me to bring you in if he knew that you were working undercover?" 

"Hello, earth to Trouble? ROOT'S DEAD!" Foaly exclaimed bitterly. 

"Don't start that again." Trouble warned.

"I am going to say this once and once only. Root was checking out a tunnel where there were reports of gunfire. He went alone, against my advice but I monitored him closely. He had an iris-cam and I had him on my thermal screen. The tunnel suddenly caved in. I think it was an ambush. There's no other explanation. Anyway, his iris cam fell out and showed him lying on the ground, blood soaking the floor." The centaur swallowed, the image was obviously too alive in his mind. "His thermals dropped and he dropped off my screen. We sent all the fairies we could spare to look for him, but no one could find him."

Holly frowned. "A cave in? Doesn't that sound suspiciously familiar?"

"I know." Foaly agreed. "But we also sent teams to search for holes and small tunnels that a dwarf might have made. D'arvit, we even sent dwarfs to look for a dwarf but nothing came through. Accept it, Root's gone." The centaur's voice was filled with pain.

Trouble shook his head. "If we forget the fact that I saw Root this morning -and spoke to him- for just a minute, can I inquire as to why I haven't heard about this?"

"The council told me straight that they didn't want anyone panicked. Not with the female recon officer missing again. They said that they were sending a team to bring Holly back-that's when I left you that message- and that I shouldn't say anything to anyone. So I've been holed up in Operations all this time."

Trouble snorted. "I don't believe this. Root is very much alive. Foaly, I have no idea what the D'arvit you are talking about.""Maybe you're both right." Artemis interrupted. Artemis, who had remained silent up until now, surprised them.

A burly officer who hadn't spoken sneered. "And what do you mean by that, Mud whelp?"

"He has a name, Corporal." Holly said quietly. Holly and Artemis exchanged a glance before she looked away. It was increasingly confusing to be around him.

"I mean that maybe they both saw Root." 

Trouble strangled the air vehemently. "What the D'arvit are you talking about, Fowl?"

Artemis sighed. Then he walked over to Holly's chest of drawers and picked up her Holo-imager. He went to one of the officers and gestured for him to hold out his hand. He did so, somewhat reluctantly. Artemis slipped the device around the elf's wrist and his features instantly transformed. To everyone else in the room, he appeared to be a pretty auburn haired human girl.

"Hey!" He cried, ripping the device from his wrist and thrusting it back at an amused Artemis. The officer had gone crimson.

Trouble chuckled for a moment then was all business again. "So what did that prove?"

Holly gasped, suddenly understanding. "So you're saying that a Holo-imager can work on anyone and that it can make them look any way that the programmer wants. Even if they look nothing like the image."

"So, technically, someone could impersonate someone else!" Foaly exclaimed.

Artemis grinned. "Exactly."

Trouble was seething. "What are you talking about?" He demanded.

"In laymen's terms, Captain, the Root you saw today needn't necessarily be the

real Root. It could have been someone wearing a holo-imager, impersonating him."

"Oh." Trouble said.

A young officer was shaking his head. "That can't be right. Root touched my shoulder this morning. He was looking at this scar, telling me that I hadn't taken time to heal it properly. You said those things don't work when someone touches you. I didn't notice anything."

They all fell silent for a while. "Koboi." Holly muttered. "What if she made an updated model. That wasn't restrained to an image? She always was a step ahead of Foaly."

"Hey!" Foaly said indignantly.

"But she's rotting in her cell." Trouble demurred. "She can't be working with the sabres. You and Foaly and Root visited her a few times before you left."

Holly frowned. "Yeah, I guess. Though, she did seem a bit out of it."

"Yes." Foaly said gravely. "And that was a pretty bracelet around her wrist wasn't it?" The group stopped, realising the meaning of the centaur's words.


	16. chapter 15

Holly B: Hey, sorry I didn't respond in the last chappie but I got your review too late. I'm glad you like it! If you like H/A then you'll like this chapter (I hope!!!)  
  
Spontaneous Human Combustion: lol, I'll try to remember to use D'arvit more then! I hope you like this chappie, things are kinda slowing down. But I promise I'll make up for it later with lots of cursing and action!  
  
Evil Sprirt: Thanx, I'm a-writing.  
  
Chrysgurl: Thank you, I won't say otherwise as long as you keep reviewing. You have no idea how much it helps.  
  
LadySatineThreepwood: I hope you don't change your opinion because of this chapter. Please continue rnrn!  
  
Artylover108: *blushes deeply and refuses to show her face until it has recovered to its normal colour* Thank you! But you must be exaggerating!!! I don't think I deserve the title "author" either way. I especially appreciate the capitals and exclamation marks. lol, keep reading! Your reviews are deeply valued.  
  
Bmw: I know, I was kind of trying to vary my style. I know people get annoyed when I leave it as a cliff-hanger every chapter. That's not to say that there won't be more. *grins evilly* thanx for caring!  
  
Night: hehehe, it is big. You'll find out later, though. So will Holly.hehehe  
  
Slime frog: lol, love your multiple personalities. Yay! I have fresh blood. Eww..sorry- too much time in front of the tv, watching vampire flicks- I mean I'm glad new people are reading this.  
  
Jenni: The fact that you even used "AWESOME" in your review has put me in a state of shock. *hyperventilates* lol, you're forgiven.glad you like it.  
  
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Trouble paced the room agitatedly. The other officers knew better then to distract him when he was in this kind of mood, he would only bite their heads off. Holly repeatedly clenched and unclenched her jaw. Artemis, however, seemed as impassive as ever, sipping from a bottle of Irish spring water thoughtfully.  
  
Holly realised that she was staring again. What's wrong with me? She wondered irritably. A few years ago I would soon as strangle him as look at him, and now I can't look at anything else. It's the drug. She decided. It's knocking my whole perspective askew.  
  
She forced herself to look away, trying to concentrate on their problem. Eventually, she realised that Trouble was in over his head. She knew how he felt, but she also knew that he was a strong leader and had to remain calm for his team. She walked over to her friend and nudged him lightly. "Your analysis, Captain?" Trouble met her gaze appreciatively before raising his chin and addressing the whole room.  
  
"Koboi was the one to make the original holo-imagers, so it is hardly surprising that she would have some connection to the Sabres. Maybe she's even the one behind it all, and Gus is only a pawn. We have to know for sure though. We can't take any further steps until we do." Trouble turned to Holly. "What about them?" He asked gesturing to the humans.  
  
Holly knew where this was going, she kept her back to Artemis and said quietly, "I trust them. They can't be mind-wiped."  
  
Trouble looked at her sternly. "They know far more then they should, you and I both know that. Fowl would be the first person to exploit-"  
  
"You mean help!" Holly interrupted, no longer caring who heard. "They've done nothing but help us since this whole mess started, and you want to reward them by taking chunks of their memory? It's bad enough that Recon is sitting outside the manor searching for me."  
  
Trouble looked from Holly's stubborn expression, to the humans, watching intently from the other side of the room. "Fine. If they help you get into Koboi's cell and confirm that it's not her in there, then when this is all over I'll pretend that they had no part in this. And I'll use some influence to get recon pulled out of the Manor in the mean time."  
  
Holly gaped at him open-mouthed. "If they help me? Wh-What do you mean? You're not coming?"  
  
"I can't. If I go missing for a few days then the council will know something suspicious is going on. Besides, I want to find out more about Root's impersonator."  
  
"Well then, why do they have to help?" She demanded. "It's not fair."  
  
Trouble sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, they may be of use. There is no D'arviting way that I'm gonna let you attempt this alone. At the moment, they may be the safest people to leave you with. I will try to send someone reliable to help, but with what you've told me, it's going to be hard to figure out who's trustworthy."  
  
Holly recognised that no-nonsense expression on his face. He wouldn't budge. If she refused, then he would do a mind-wipe on them right now and let recon stay at Fowl Manor. She finally made herself turn around, looking straight into Artemis's blue eyes. "I'm sor-"  
  
"No need." Artemis interrupted. "I don't see any other choice. We can't have my mother and father being scared to death, when they return, by a son with only half his normal intellect and a team full of highly trained-if under budgeted-fairies." He smirked.  
  
Holly had to grin at his way of answering. She looked to Butler for confirmation, who hesitated at putting his charge at risk, but eventually nodded. Trouble watched the exchange silently.  
  
"OK." He said. "We can start planning in a moment. First, Holly, can you give me a moment to speak with the humans in private?"  
  
Holly was all surprised out for the day. Trouble told his team to wait in the hall, but Holly needed some fresh air.  
  
She had especially picked this apartment. Even though the interior was shabby, there was a balcony leading out from the kitchen. It had one of the most beautiful views of the Irish sky that she had ever seen and she was glad of it, especially now when she needed a clear head.  
  
She stepped out, letting the cool wind tug at her tousled hair. The sky was a blanket of stars, and Holly felt a sigh escape her lips as the magic of the full moon sung to her. Root will never see a starlit sky again. She thought heavily. She knew that her dead commander wouldn't have romanticized it as much as she was doing, but it still saddened her slightly to think about it.  
  
She didn't know how long she was out there, before she heard someone come up behind her. "Thinking about Commander Root?" Artemis asked softly.  
  
Holly chuckled. "I think we're getting to know each other too well."  
  
Artemis was quiet for a moment. "Do you regret that?" He asked.  
  
Holly turned to look at him. He had changed a lot since she had seen him all those years ago, on a moonlit night much like this one. The resentment that had plagued her was nothing but an echo now. "No," She replied. "You've changed. The boy that kidnapped me would never do the selfless things that you've done to help me."  
  
He grinned sheepishly. "They're not completely selfless acts." He said. Their eyes met for a moment and Holly felt a now familiar feeling take hold of her. He took a step forward, until he was so close she could almost feel his warmth. Stop! She ordered herself. This isn't right; you shouldn't be feeling this way.  
  
She swallowed. "Artemis-"  
  
"Are we using first names now?" He asked, eyes dancing.  
  
"Holly, come on. It's time we started planning." Trouble's voice echoed through the sliding glass doors. Holly stepped back gratefully. Now what had that been about? She thought, shaking herself thoroughly when she was sure Artemis wasn't looking.  
  
A/N: OK, I know I am practically ASKING for flames here, but come on, the secondary genre IS romance. You had to know that that was coming sooner or later. Don't flame please! This will not result in plotlessness. Quite the opposite actually, this is leading up to something crucial in the plot. *laughs evilly*. What was my point again? Oh yeah.review, don't flame! 


	17. chapter 16

A/N: I might have to take up Commander Root's nickname "Beetroot". Your reviews have kept me in a permanent state of blushing. (Not that I'm complaining, I like to blush. Keep rnrn!) I would just like to apologise for taking sooooo long in updating. (I had to rescue this from page 3!) But I had a serious case of writers block.  
  
Well, you've asked everything that I wanted to address in this note so I'll just shut up and answer your questions etc. I apologise in advance if my replies are just general statements rather than answers but in case you haven't noticed; I tend to get side-tracked.  
  
Spontaneous human combustion: I think I can assure you that they'll be more than 'getting close' to it. *evil grin of her own * But there are still some twists to come. I'll try to make sure that it's not too predictable.  
  
cherryblossom goddess: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. I've never really tried to write a romance scene before and I was hoping it didn't come off too corny.  
  
Bmw: I know I'm slow these days, I'm trying to update as much as possible so people don't have to wait. But these teachers are driving me nuts with coursework deadlines, I actually should be working now-but hey, who cares?- and anywayz I know you wouldn't flame. It's those other people, those ones who are watching--always watching *starts her paranoid babble for the day before lapsing into silence * Umm, what was my point again? Oh yeah; thanx for rnrn!  
  
Jenni: Really? I'm getting a mixed audience here, some people say they love H/A, others don't. I'll have to keep it pretty neutral to keep my readers. But I can't stop some sparks from flying, I need it for the main plot.  
  
Night: Hehehe, you seem to have picked up on a trade secret there-whenever Artemis is awake, he's up to something. Actually, right now even he doesn't know he's up to something. I'll drop more clues, tell me if you work it out before our esteemed mastermind does.  
  
Slime frog: lol, I don't update every day! Besides, I don't think you have anything to be jealous of. Don't hate me- but something has to happen between Holly and Arty, I need it for the plot. But there'll definitely be a lot more feeling fighting on it's way, so please keep reading. Love hearing from you, you AND your alter ego.  
  
Chrysgurl: thanx, me too. I think it adds to the depth of the story, makes things more interesting (which I really need in anything I've written).  
  
Artylover108: thanx, I guess I mention people cuz when I review, I really like a response. *evil grin* Lets just say; don't sniffle yet, the truth is out there. *fades out to the X-files music*  
  
Mar: Oh, no, you can't compare my attempt to a book! That is one of the highest compliments I have received. *blushes*. You know, you people are making it really hard for me to be humble.  
  
MyOwnAntagonist: Thank you, and I just have to say that I love your screen name. Sandryofruatha: cool, It's good to know that I'm still getting new readers this far into the story. I'll try not to take this long in future to update. Hehehe, The Holly/Juliet fight was the scene I had the most fun writing.  
  
The Avatar of Death: lol, blood and gore? You're my kind of person. More violence on it's way. By the way, I love you're screen name too. (I'm actually jealous cuz half the people that review have cooler ones then me. Where do you come up with them?)  
  
Lady-of-the-Dragons: lol, Root's dead. Or is he? (Aren't I mysterious today?)  
  
Hybridphoenix: Umm, I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'purpose' but if you mean what is their ultimate goal, then you're thinking faster then Artemis is. You know it's funny, because no one's questioned my title yet. (hint hint!)  
  
Sheen Rox: *Blushes, too flattered for words* After all those plz's I can promise to keep writing.  
  
Holly B: Wow, you actually recommended this fic to someone else? That is so cool. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Adalia Malefoy: Thank you!!! I'm so happy people don't think the romantic stuff ruins it. lol, now I'm gonna hold you to your promise.  
  
Swimmerkitti: Definitely.  
  
Maya: inner moppet? If you want gorgeous descriptions of Artemis, I'll see if I can add that in. And thank you for pointing out the grammar problems. I know, It's just I haven't had time to fix them. I was hoping that they didn't ruin it too much.  
  
Dreamy-eyes: Thank you for reviewing twice! Yeah, I know that it probably would never happen in the books. And they're not the same species, that's why the Holo-imager thing went well with the romance stuff. Also, I didn't just want to use Eoin's characters, I'm also trying to change them as I go along. * blushes* No, my story can't compare to some of the other fics out there!  
  
J Catz: thanks, I'm going as fast as I can.  
  
SilverButterfly: * blushes* thank you. Although, I would feel more gifted if I wan't stuck with this writers block.  
  
Maud: thanx, though you are being too generous. I'm still trying to make it acceptable.  
  
Christelle: thanks, coming from you that means a lot. I love your fic! I hope you update it soon. (even though it's taken me about three weeks to update this one.) * sigh * yes, this is the way I kinda expected him to be in the Eternity Code. You haven't read it yet? Oh, good. I mean, that means you wont be able to compare my poor efforts to Colfer's yet. Keep reading! Elf girl: * blushes* thank you! I was hoping that I hadn't made him too out of character.  
  
Disclaimer: All characters are property of Eoin Colfer except for any you haven't heard of. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------  
  
Holly re-entered the room and looked suspiciously at Trouble. "So, what were you talking about that I couldn't hear?" She demanded. Trouble just shook his head in reply. She scowled and took a seat as far away from Artemis as she could, without making it look like that's what she was trying to do.  
  
Trouble called Retrieval back into the room and, finally, the group was all assembled. "First things first," Trouble announced. "Short, are you running hot?"  
  
Holly had to force herself not to glance at Artemis. "Of course. We stopped so that I could do the Ritual on the way."  
  
"Good."  
  
Holly couldn't restrain herself any longer. "D'arvit, Trouble! Would you just get down to business already! How am I supposed to get back into Haven to check on Koboi? Foaly said that they're guarding all shuttle ports."  
  
"You're not going back to Haven." He told her.  
  
"What?"  
  
Trouble smiled sadly. "Before Root died, he had Koboi moved to detention centre 11036. He never did tell us why."  
  
Holly lowered her gaze respectfully. "He helped us one last time."  
  
"Forgive me, but 11036?" Butler asked.  
  
"It's outside Haven." Foaly explained. "In one of the shallower forts. But the security is still tight."  
  
Holly glanced at her helmet, worried. "We can count on you? Can't we Foaly?"  
  
"Of-course." He snapped indignantly. "Do you really think I'd let that nauseating pixie get the best of me?"  
  
Holly grinned. "OK, so we only have to get to the shuttle port under London."  
  
Trouble nodded. "But walking around the facility and getting into Koboi's cell is another matter."  
  
"Schematics?" That was Artemis' soft drawl. "Have you got any blue-prints or models of the facility?"  
  
"Blue prints!" Foaly scoffed. "Neanderthals! Barbarians! Really, I'm surprised that apes haven't caught up with your level of-"  
  
"Foaly!" Trouble and Holly yelled in unison.  
  
"Fine, fine. One second." He meant it. In less than a second, a ghostly image sprang up over Holly's helmet. It was a detailed scale holograph of the detention centre. Holly winced, she forgotten what a fortress the place was.  
  
Artemis walked over to it, fascinated. Trouble, Butler and him began to discuss methods of entering the building unnoticed and Holly felt her concentration slipping.  
  
She swore, once this mess was sorted out, she would throttle the fairy that had approved the use of DTS on field assignments. Her mind kept leaping from one thing to another, and her vision blurred. Disoriented, she put her hands on her knees and tried to steady herself.  
  
She felt a cool hand press gently, somewhere near her hairline, and suddenly her vision cleared. She looked up into smug blue eyes.  
  
"Pressure spot." Artemis explained, his white teeth flashing in a quick smile.  
  
She grinned back, forgetting her feeling of discomfort from before. "Since when did you make a study of fairy anatomy?"  
  
"I guess I was trying to figure out why you're so short." He baited.  
  
Holly stood up straight. "I am not that short!" She protested. His grin only grew wider. "You know, there was a time when you would have been too afraid to talk like that." She told him, conveniently forgetting that he had always said what he liked, when he liked.  
  
"There was a time when you could have knocked my lights out." He reminded her.  
  
"Who says I can't now?" She demanded, trying to keep her face stern. Artemis actually laughed. She found it catching, and couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her own face as she socked him lightly on the arm.  
  
"Are you lovebirds done?" Trouble grumbled. Holly suddenly realised that the whole of retrieval was watching, trying to hide grins. She blushed and stepped away from Artemis.  
  
"How are we getting in?" She asked, regaining her composure. He told her. It was risky. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------  
  
"Are we all set?" Trouble asked his team. They all nodded. "Good. You all understand what to do?" He asked Holly and the humans gravely.  
  
"Yes sir!" Holly chorused. They were of the same rank but she often accused him of treating her like one of the corporals.  
  
Trouble looked at her sternly. "Watch your back, Holly. If you get yourself killed, I'll never forgive you."  
  
Holly was touched and felt an impulse to hug him but she knew that would be demeaning for them both. She had not come this far in her career to be labelled a soft girly-elf. Instead, she smiled at her friend warmly. "Of course. Stay out of trouble, Trouble."  
  
He smiled briefly, then turned to Artemis. "Remember the deal, kid. I'll only get Recon pulled out of there once I'm sure that you're at 11036. And don't forget what I said before either." Artemis was as impassive as ever but Butler growled warningly.  
  
Trouble was forced to take a step back. "Move out." He squeaked at his team. They all did so quickly, some offering encouragement to Holly, others giving the manservant as wide a berth as possible. The team shielded, as one, and a shimmering heat haze flew through the broken window, and into the Irish sky.  
  
"What did he say 'before'?" Holly asked finally.  
  
Artemis hesitated. "He said that if I came back without you, or got you killed, I would wake up one day in the darkest, dirtiest dungeon he could find, with only a troll for company."  
  
Her full-throated laugh reached Trouble's ears as he lead his team through the night air.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------  
  
A/N: I know you must be really annoyed with me for leaving these Author's notes everywhere but I thought I should apologise for the shortness and uneventfulness of this chappie. I'll try real hard to get the next up soon. And if you want to find out what Trouble's 'plan' is, then you'll have to wait and see. Ain't I a stinker? 


	18. chapter 17

**A/N: **Hey, thanks to Night, bmw, Laka, Slime frog, Chrysgurl, Adalia Malfoy, Sheen Rox and kalariah for reviewing. And thanks to Maddi for pointing out my mistake in the first chapter. I'm really sorry that I can't reply directly to your reviews right now, but my computer has decided that it wont stay connected for more then a few seconds at a time. Damn this cheap connection.   Was that a flame? Did I just get flamed? Actually, I  HAVE read the Eternity code. But if you look at the publishing date then you can see that I started writing this fic before it was out so I didn't know he got mind-wiped yet. So for those of you wondering I will be continuing it as if the Eternity Code never happened, otherwise it wouldn't make sense.

**Disclaimer: **None of the characters belong to me, except for Tsu Ling and a hotel manager, a few tourists etc.

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Red Cow Morans Hotel

Meath, Ireland

Artemis read and re-read the E-mail and the attachment in a state of shock. There was no way that this was a coincidence, he thought numbly. The glare from the monitor was harsh on his tired eyes, and sent eerie shadows dancing on the walls, but he refused to turn his laptop off. It can't be, he thought over and over again, until it seemed as if his mind was incapable of forming another thought.

He sat in a chair, in a hotel that the three had booked into for the remainder of the night and the following morning. Knowing that it would not be safe to stay at Holly's apartment, they had eventually settled on this four star hotel. Its main advantage was that it was a mere fifteen minutes away from the airport. 

Holly's reluctance to stay so close to Tara had been palpable, and there was little that either of them could do to relieve her weariness. She did, however, take consolation in the thick drapes, that promised to easily block out the early morning sun.

Butler had immediately left to phone Juliet, to warn her to stay away from Fowl Manor for a while. He also instructed her to do her best to keep Artemis's parents away as long as she could. Holly had retreated to her room, saying that she wanted to rest before their flight.

Presently, Artemis was glad for the solitude. He was not sure that he would have been able to mask his current feelings sufficiently, had one of them been there. He quickly saved the attachment to his hard drive and read the E-mail one last time, before deleting it. He feverishly hoped that Foaly had better things to do than monitor his incoming emails.

Suddenly, something prickled at the back of his neck and he looked at the empty space beside him until a slender figure unshielded. A now familiar something, tightened in his stomach.

"That's not very polite." He remarked.

"Yeah, but it's a great way to sneak up on people."

Artemis closed his laptop, looking at her. It was always that way between them now, they could always tease and joke with each other. As relieved as he was that she had loosened up around him, now, he couldn't help but wish for something more. As he watched her pretty face, he did not need to analyse his emotions. He knew the symptoms. He could recognise infatuation when he saw it.

The disturbing thing was that it had caught him so unaware. A part of him knew it was wrong. They weren't even of the same species, and yet, when she was close, he did and said things that he hadn't thought himself capable of.

He cleared his throat. "What are you doing up?"

Holly frowned, mock-annoyance touching her elfin features. "I'm sorry Master Fowl, did you want to be alone with your computer?"

Artemis struggled to keep his face from breaking into a grin. "Actually, yes," He admitted. "But now that you are here; what can I do for you?"

Holly hesitated, her forehead crinkling as if fighting to remember something. "It's something that I'd been meaning to ask you about before, except I forgot. It just came back to me now. Who's Tsu?"

Artemis felt as if he had been punched in the ribs. "Why do you ask?" He said carefully. She can't possibly know? Can she? He thought.

Holly was puzzled. "You mentioned his name while under the mesmer, you know, the night of the party. I can't remember what I was asking you now, but something about the way you answered bothered me. At the time, I was too preoccupied to think it over, though." Her hazel eyes searched his face. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

Artemis felt cool relief wash over him. "Oh, no. Not really. Tsu- his name was Tsu Ling – isn't someone you need concern yourself with." He told the lie with a neutral face, and she accepted it readily. "And soon, hopefully, neither will I." He added quietly, once she was well out of ear shot.

__________________________________________________________________

Who is Tsu???

A few years ago, shortly after Fowl senior had been given leave of the hospital, the attacks began. Artemis had thought that they would be free of the Mafiya, but he was wrong. Now they only wanted his father dead.

Recognising the need for his father to have extra security, he had told Butler to stay at his side no matter what. Artemis had then contacted Madame Ko and asked if she could recommend somebody to temporarily take over for Butler, as his own body guard. The woman had not liked the idea, but had finally given him the name of someone she had recently instructed. A Chinese man in his early forties, by the name of Tsu Ling. 

Artemis had met with Tsu and eventually hired him. Although the man filled out his duties as a bodyguard with precision and authority, there was something about him that Artemis didn't like. A cold steely glint in his eye that Artemis could never bring himself to trust.

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A/N: Sorry if that totally sucked, and again for the uneventfulness, but you have to know about Tsu Ling. Please inform me if I have made a mistake about Madame Ko or any other details. I DO take constructive criticism. I even appreciate it. But I don't want any flames please. I have a good idea where this is going now, and more action/romance/betrayel/mystery will ensue, but should I continue? Please tell me if it is worth it. 


	19. chapter 18

Sheen Rox: Hey, I AM NOT sick of you! Keep reviewing every chapter! OK, I'm trying real hard to get some Romance in without making it sound like cheeze. Lemme know if it's good or not  
  
ElfGirl: Thank you for your support, and I hope this chappie is a little more eventful.  
  
Bmw: *presents updated chappie *  
  
Night: Yes, I have aol. It's so annoying! *kicks the cpu with bare feet and stubs her toe * D'arvit! Anyway, thank you for threatening that flamer *tear * I feel so loved.  
  
MI Ch.: Thanks for the compliments:) I continued, hope you're still reading.  
  
chrysgurl: Thankyou, enjoy the chappie  
  
scarletmacaw: Thank you, but, why are you evil?  
  
Holly B: lol, I like long reviews() Thanks.  
  
Slime frog: lol! Sorry, temporary insanity I guess. I am thankful for every review I get! I agree; baaad Arty.  
  
Dreamy Eyes: My bad, Of course I'll continue.  
  
Holly&Artemis4Ever : *grins* yeah, I kinda figured that from your screen name.  
  
Adalia Malfoy: Yeah, I agree. I hope this chappie will make up for it a bit.  
  
Lakia: Look-you got mentioned again. *grins* Thank you again.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
A few Years ago; Dublin Ireland  
  
Decisions. Life is full of them. The good and the bad the harsh and the easy. For Artemis, the decision to take on Tsu Ling as a temporary bodyguard was one that he would regret.  
  
It was maybe a few weeks since Artemis had hired Tsu, when they were cornered on a dark night by a group of shady characters. They circled around the pair, with an air of predators, going for the kill. Artemis did not need Butler with him to tell him to keep his mouth shut; this was something that a bodyguard should handle.  
  
He had expected Tsu to question their intent or at least voice a threat, but the man remained quiet. His eyes fixed on the dark forms around them. The lead man took a step forward just as the first drops of rain began to beat at the pavement all around them. "Artemis Fowl." It was a statement rather then a question, Artemis remained silent, his breath coming in icy sheets.  
  
The man reached for something in his jacket as warnings buzzed in Artemis' head. Just as the inky black handle of a gun appeared in the man's hands, something hurtled at him, knocking him off his feet. Artemis hadn't even seen Tsu move, and now he was in the thick of the men, his arms and legs thrashing in a combination of complex moves that made Artemis' head spin.  
  
For a moment, the men seemed to have forgotten about Artemis. This didn't last long. One of them caught him by surprise, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped for breath as someone grabbed his arm. Conjuring up the memories of all the lessons Butler had given him, he grabbed hold of the hand that had clamped itself so tightly to him and lifted it up. He ducked under it and pulled upwards, hard. The man grunted and Artemis was able to grab a rock nearby. Just as he was coming toward him again, Artemis lifted his weapon into the air and bring it crashing down, feeling sick as he heard the man's collarbone break.  
  
Artemis stumbled away, his own ribs aching. Suddenly, a new pair of arms fastened themselves around his neck. The man had him pinned. Artemis could feel his arms tightening around his neck, like a vice, cutting off his supply of precious oxygen. Artemis struggled desperately as rain trickled down his face. His hands groped for the stone he had used before and felt something else being pressed into his hands. Even in this state, he recognised the cool hard lined of a gun. Without thinking of the implications, or of anything else in those fleeting seconds, Artemis twisted his wrist as best he could and pulled the trigger.  
  
The man cried out in pain, his grip loosening and allowing Artemis to suck in a breath of much needed air. The man dropped to the floor, clutching his chest. Artemis had got off a clean shot, blood poured from his chest wound, soaking his shirt and spreading quickly to form a dark circle around his writhing body. Artemis watched, numbly as the haze of imminent death filled his attackers' eyes, and finally, he was still.  
  
He had killed a man.  
  
The thought repeated inside his head, echoing again and again, making him deaf to everything else around him. Distantly, he felt a strong hand shake him. "Artemis, come on!" It was Tsu, tugging on his arm. Artemis only stared blankly at the dead body.  
  
The other guys were beaten, but were starting to get up, eventually; Tsu had had to carry Artemis away, as hollow as he felt. Artemis never did tell Butler the events of that dark night, maybe he wanted so strongly for it not to have happened that he feared talking about it would make it more real.  
  
In any case, Tsu stayed by him, reassuring him that he had done the right thing. Nothing would get through to him however. He put on a convincing act for his parents, but unforgiving guilt was always near. Once the attacks stopped, Artemis had had to dismiss Tsu, despite the friendship that had formed between them. Tsu had taken it surprisingly well and had insisted that they were still friends for life.  
  
That was when the calls had started. Tsu had said that he had evidence of Artemis' crime, and that he would hand it over to the police if Artemis didn't pay him off. The old Artemis would have come up with a cunning way to turn the tables, but his guilt had sobered him to the point where he couldn't bring himself to concentrate hard enough to come up with anything.  
  
Artemis was loosing a lot of money to the man when, all of a sudden, the calls stopped. And Artemis came out of the state he was in, reverted once more to his old self. Now, after many years, it had started again. With one difference. Now; Tsu did not only ask for money, he wanted 'favours' like the email he had sent.  
  
Artemis was to wonder for a long time if he could have got away, had that gun not been pressed into his hand, or had he aimed slightly lower, or had he tried to talk to the men before Tsu could attack.  
  
Decisions. Life is full of them.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Present Day  
  
On the Roof of Wimbledon Library London, England  
  
Holly shivered uncontrollably. She couldn't see how anybody living here could stand the weather. It had no right to be this cold at this time of year, she thought. She rubbed the pointed tips of her ears and winced at the dryness of them. She would have to moisturise soon.  
  
They were waiting for the promised 'help' from Trouble. This was the agreed point but they had been waiting over an hour. Holly had had to strap both humans onto her moonbelt to fly them up there, and even then had had to make another trip down for their gear. Right now, she would have preferred to be flying though, at least that would give her something to do other then waiting.  
  
Butler was stationed on the edge of the roof, well within eyesight and hearing of his charge, checking on his supply of ammo and whatever else was in his bag. Artemis sat a few feet away, on his laptop, his face grim with concentration. He'd seemed detached ever since they'd left Ireland, and Holly had left him alone but now she felt the need to talk.  
  
She sat beside him. "Plotting your evil schemes?"  
  
Artemis switched off the screen. "What?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "What is it now? World domination? You business folk are all alike." Artemis only chucked in reply.  
  
They remained in a comfortable silence for several moments until Artemis remarked quietly; "It's killing you isn't it? Not being able to be below ground, helping directly."  
  
Holly sighed. She had never thought that her emotions were so transparent, but Artemis seemed to be able to read her like a book. It was no longer strange or uncomfortable, just surprising. "Yes." She admitted. "But- I don't know-somehow I feel that things are a lot more connected then they appear."  
  
Artemis sat up sharply, his face a mask. "What do you mean?"  
  
Holly was oblivious to his urgent tone. "I mean, I'm doing what I was born to do- recon. I'm doing my part to help. And somehow it feels right. This is where I should be." She turned to see his face. "Does that even make sense?" His opinion had come to mean a lot to her.  
  
Artemis relaxed, smiling. "You're the philosophical Captain today. Yes, it makes sense. You believe in fate?"  
  
Holly chewed her lip. "I think so." She laughed to lighten the mood. "Well, something keeps putting us together and in these crazy situations." His face remained serious, his eyes watching hers. Holly was swept up again in a wave of -something. A voice inside her screamed for her to move away, or say something, but she remained paralysed. For a second, she thought his gaze drifted down to her lips, then suddenly, there was a loud thud from the other end of the roof.  
  
Holly was pulled out of her paralysis and the two stood up as one. Butler had already taken out his Sig Sauer and was scanning the area, ready for anything. "Show yourself." He growled.  
  
A figure unshielded, not ten feet from where Holly had been sitting, taking off his helmet. Holly let out a deep, long groan. I am going to kill that Trouble, she vowed.  
  
"That's right baby, never fear, the Chix man's here."  
  
Holly slapped her forehead, she could feel a headache coming on. "Private, what are you doing here?"  
  
Chix Verbil grinned. "I'm your inside man."  
  
"Trouble sent you?"  
  
"The man knew what he was doing. And of-course I knew you'd be missing all this." He added, flexing a muscle.  
  
Holly rubbed her temples. "All right, Butler, you can shoot him now."  
  
Butler towered over the Sprite. Verbil was forced to take a step back. "Aww, come on Hol-Captain. I was only playin'. I got your stuff." He added, holding a pack.  
  
Holly took it. "I don't think we've been introduced," Artemis said dryly.  
  
Verbil puffed out his chest. "The name's Chix. And, trust me kid, it wont be a name you'll forget easily."  
  
The manservant sighed. Something told him that it would be a long shuttle ride over to 11036.  
  
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A/N: So, what d'you think? Was Chix out of character? Sorry if he was, I haven't read the books in a while. Next chappie may take a while. R&R. 


	20. chapter 19

A/N: OK, My aol is really ...D'arviting me off, so I will try to respond to all reviews but if I miss you or have already responded, please don't hate me!!  
  
Swimmerkitti: Thanx for the review( Sorry for the long wait, hope you haven't been hyperventilating all this time.  
  
Night: *looks shocked * umm, I see. Lol, I hope there are no sharp pieces of wood around you now. Oh, and I knew you are a girl! It says it on your bio, tut tut, people shouldn't make assumptions. And Night doesn't seem like a boy's screen name anyway. I dunno.* grin* enjoy the chappie.  
  
Mi Ch: Thanx( and here you go.-  
  
Slime frog: Oops, if he was a little bold in that chapter, then you're going to think I was drunk or insane when writing this chapter (No, actually I don't drink, I'm 14!) . Oh well, sorry about this in advance, but I kinda had to make him this way. Yeah, I live in London. You do too? I agree, where are all the Londoners around here? My school is actually kind of close to Wimbledon Library, which is why I put it in the last chapter. I was tired of writing about the irish sky and stuff when I've never actually been to Ireland so I don't know what I'm talking about.  
  
Spontaneous human combustion: You thought so? Thanx(  
  
Sheen Rox: I hope you haven't exploded with the suspense! *grins * well, to answer your question, something always has to happen when there's a A/H moment because I'M EVIL!!! Muhahahahaha! Oh, sorry. Ahem, Don't worry, eventually, there WILL be some romance. Trust me.  
  
Cilantra: Really? Ok, well I hope you find this chappie funny, and not well .crappy(  
  
Child-prodigy: Thankyou( And I love your fic!  
  
Ever: thanx, I'm glad you enjoyed it( Ooops, I didn't think of that. I threw that line (Erm, wrong apartment) in for humour. That was a bit ooc for Arty, wasn't it? * squeals* Yeah, I read the ruby in the smoke, I love those books!!!  
  
Adalia Malfoy: lol, thanx( I guess I reply to all of my readers cos I want them to keep coming back. I THRIVE on reviews. Oh, yes you're right. Chix was Out of commission, and I'm sorry if this is inaccurate but I need him for this, so I'm just gonna say he gets grunt work or work that doesn't involve him using his wing.  
  
Lakia: Yeah, I love Chixy!( Thank you.  
  
Holly B: Hey, there's no such thing as a pointless review! Thanx for the support(  
  
Elf Girl: I'm sorry, did I say ".flexed a muscle."? Cos what I meant to say was ".flexed a scrawny arm." * grins * my mistake. Fowlet: Thanx( Sorry the chappie took so long.  
  
Hybridphoenix: Yeah, you're right, he was shot in the wing, and I'm sorry if this is inaccurate but I need him for this, so I'm just gonna say he gets grunt work or work that doesn't involve him using his wing. Thanx for reviewin'  
  
Maiden Genisis: *presents updates chappie * Thanx for your review and enjoy the chappie..  
  
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The group took a slight risk, taking the chute in London to get underground. The risk lied in the fact that Chelsea football club had built their grounds five hundred metres above the shuttle port, but, as Foaly reasoned, it was better than being seen by the LEP taking the more commonly used Wiltshire port.  
  
Holly took over the shuttle as soon as Chix lead them under ground. She strapped herself into the pilot's wraparound seat. She could tell that Chix wanted to protest to her taking over but she shot him a warning glare and the complaint died in his throat. No one could argue with Captain Holly Short about piloting a shuttle.  
  
Holly struggled to get accustomed to the foreign buttons and keys. Chix had come in a shuttle that she wasn't familiar with.  
  
"D'arvit." Holly swore. "What's that supposed to be?" She asked, gesturing to a small purple panel on the main console.  
  
"I dunno, Cap, Foaly wouldn't let me touch it." Chix replied.  
  
Holly turned to him. "What are you doing here anyway, private, I thought you were kept away from missions." She gestured to the sprite's wing, indicating his injury.  
  
"Root reassigned me to 11036. I don't mind it's an easy job. Just like crusin'"  
  
Holly kept her thoughts to herself, knowing full well that Chix had always been assigned to grunt work, even before his injury. "Foaly?" She called into her helmet.  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"What is this panel for. It isn't on any of your other models."  
  
"Very observant," The centaur approved. "It's a shield. Sort of. A new idea that came to me recently, when considering surface shuttles."  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked.  
  
"You see those hand shapes on the purple panel? Well if you place your hands palm down on the grid lines and send your shielding magic into it then you can shield the whole shuttle. Anyone around wouldn't realise it's there."  
  
Holly was impressed; Foaly had found a way to convert magic into a power source. It had been done before, but never on this scale. She whistled her appreciation of the time he must have spent on it. "But when did you have time to do this?"  
  
The centaur snorted. "Do you think I was sitting on my hind legs twiddling my thumbs all the time you were playing undercover agent?"  
  
Holly scowled, but bit her tongue. This piece of technology would come in handy. Instead, she placed her palms on the panel. Her expression changed to a grin as she realised that her hands fit perfectly into the imprint, down to the shape of her elfin nails. Foaly didn't have many friends, and she was often the first person to test his latest ideas.  
  
Butler and Artemis sat in the rear of the shuttle. Artemis was eating some caviar, the manservant watched in amusement, having no idea where his charge had managed to get his hands on some amidst this whole mess.  
  
Artemis had spent time in the sun to darken his pale complexion and toned his muscles, but some things would never change; the teenager would always prefer caviar and a computer to almost anything else.  
  
"Are we all clear on what to do?" He asked for the second time that day.  
  
Artemis sighed. "Yes, Butler. But if it would make you feel better then we can go through it again."  
  
Butler nodded. He was not happy that part of the plan would involve his being separated from his charge, but his soldier's sense told him that there was no other way. "Verbil and I will go to the controls room and shut off these bio-bio-"  
  
"Bio-Fields." Holly completed. "They are force fields that stop anything living from passing through them."  
  
"Yes." Butler said, "While you and Artemis first go to the information rooms to find out where Koboi's cell is, then go to her cell and check if it's her, correct?"  
  
"Correct." She conceded.  
  
"One thing, do they keep records of everyone who is held there in the information room?" Artemis questioned.  
  
"Yes, why?" Holly asked.  
  
"No reason." He murmured. The manservant looked at his employer with apprehension, he recognised that look on his face, and it scared him. Artemis was up to something, and he hoped he would find out what it was before they reached the detention facility.  
  
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Holly placed her palms on the purple panel and allowed her magic to scurry down her fingers and into the main console. The shuttle immediately dropped out of the visible spectrum, becoming invisible to everyone but rats and two species of monkey. Holly gave it enough magic to stay shielded for as long as they needed to complete their mission before joining the others outside.  
  
Artemis looked up at the detention facility. It was quite a sight to those not used to such cold buildings. Shaped like a cube, it was blood red in colour and coppery metal ran down the sides of it in beams. Holly hated these smaller forts outside Haven, she was a city girl at heart and was chilled by the solitude of them.  
  
Chix lead them silently through several security procedures before they were able to get inside the building. Even the pretentious sprite realised the severity of the situation if they were caught. Holly opened the visor of her helmet, breathing in the stale underground air, with something akin to trepidation.  
  
Finally, they were inside the building, in the corridor where their party would have to separate. Holly handed Butler the lead, that when attached to the main console in the operations room, would allow Foaly to feed the cameras a loop.  
  
Butler looked at them both gravely, and realised that he couldn't leave his charge in safer hands. "Look after each other." He told them quietly. He patted his charge on the back.  
  
Holly turned to Chix, about to voice a threat, but was cut off by the Sprite's arms being flung around her waist. "Be careful, baby."  
  
Holly scowled, breaking free of his grip, an angry retort on her lips, but he was already charging gallantly away, Butler following. She could feel Artemis's eyes on her, his expression unreadable. She felt her cheeks burn.  
  
"Don't just stand there, mud whelp. C'mon." She turned away and began walking down the hallway. She was halfway down the hall, before she spotted a camera on the far wall, she stopped abruptly, Artemis coming up beside her.  
  
"Verbil?" She said into her helmet.  
  
"Missed me?" Was the fat-headed reply.  
  
Holly was about to loose it when she heard the helmet being taken from him. "Yes?" Butler's voice sounded.  
  
Holly regained her composure. "Has Foaly set up the loop?"  
  
"You could have thought to ask me." Foaly muttered.  
  
"Have you?" She demanded.  
  
"Yes-"  
  
"Good, now we'll sustain radio silence unless it's urgent, understand?"  
  
"Understood." Butler said.  
  
Holly cut the connection, not wanting to hear Foaly's snide reply. She turned to Artemis. "We're OK." She told him.  
  
They took numerous hallways, a route that they had planned previously and ran into no trouble until they were seen by a security guard. The elf snapped up his buzz baton and stared at the human openly. He pressed a button on his uniform. "Intruders!" He said, receiving only a crackle of static as a reply. Foaly had also disabled the com-systems. "Who-who are you?"  
  
Holly stood frozen in place. For some reason, her feet refused to move. "I am Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. This is Artemis Fowl the second." The reply escaped from her before she realised what she was saying. Artemis did not seem to be suffering from her problem, he grabbed her Neutrino from her belt and pointed it at the guard.  
  
"I hope that this is set to 'stun'." He said, shooting a burst of red beam to the unfortunate guard. The elf never had a chance, he hit the floor, a dazed expression on his face. Artemis turned to Holly. "What happened?"  
  
"I think I can guess." She told him, grimly taking back her Neutrino. "Perfect timing, Trouble!" She yelled, looking at the ceiling as if her friend could hear her.  
  
"What?" Artemis demanded.  
  
Holly looked at him, a tired look in her pretty hazel eyes. "It's the DTS. It's kicking in."  
  
Artemis frowned. "How can you tell?"  
  
"In the Acadamy, the Cadets are required to test all their field weapons on themselves first. Sort of a way to get used to them. I recognise the effects. The Delayed Truth Serum has kicked in. I couldn't tell a lie if I wanted to." Holly felt utterly worthless, how could she pull this off now. She yawned, belatedly.  
  
Artemis smirked. "Do you like Chix Verbil?"  
  
"No. He's a conceited half-wit who thinks he's God's gift to women." She answered automatically. The laughing look on Artemis's usually placid face jerked her back to reality. "Hey! Don't do that!" She yelled.  
  
His expression was the picture of innocence, one that softened her heart more then she was comfortable with. Why did a simple look from him do this to her? "I'm sorry." He quipped. "I just thought I'd put it to the test." Holly suddenly felt a pang in her heart. Stop it! She ordered the part of her that just wanted to look at him all day, this is ARTEMIS FOWL! This is Artemis Fowl. This is Artemis Fowl! She repeated it in her head, until she had herself under control.  
  
She scowled at him, but the expression left her when she broke out into another yawn. Artemis looked at her worriedly. "Oh no." She said. "I think, I may fall asleep any minute now."  
  
"Another effect of the drug?"  
  
"Yep." She said, stifling yet another yawn. Holly felt her knees get weaker beneath her. "You-you may have to go on without me. I-I can't stay awake."  
  
"You don't have a choice, Captain." He told her firmly, gripping her arm and slinging it over his shoulder. Holly couldn't even protest, she just clung on as he took her full weight. "Which way to Information?"  
  
She gestured to a turning to their left. He took it, holding her upright as she struggled to walk. She stopped him when they reached an iron door. Holly whispered a few words inaudibly and the door swung open. "Cheap." She commented as he walked them into the room.  
  
Computers lined the walls of the room, multi-coloured lights flashing in complex programme diagnostics. There was one door at the far end of the room, that led into a service room, for spare cables etc.  
  
All the facility's information was held on computer. Artemis had already been instructed on how to find a convict's name and cell. He placed Holly down on a swivel-chair and began trawling through the database. He handed her a hand-held computer, so she could do half the searching, as they had agreed.  
  
Noticing that her eyes were drooping, he realised he'd have to talk to her to keep her awake. "Holly!" He hissed.  
  
She jerked upright, and resumed scanning through the database doggedly. Artemis looked through endless names and cell locations until he found a name that he recognised. He had to stop himself from gasping. This was it. He thought. He had had a feeling that it would come to this. Now maybe he could get back at Tsu Ling. Memorising the cell location, he resumed looking through the names.  
  
When he looked up at Holly again, her eyes were shut. This time, he dropped what he was doing and knelt down beside her. Her sleeping form was so peaceful that he could not restrain himself from doing something that he had wanted to do for so long. He cupped her face in his hands and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, taking advantage of their proximity by examining her features in a way that he couldn't do while she was awake. His breath came faster as her eyelids fluttered, but remained shut. Suddenly, guilt took over him, realising that he was going to have to betray her trust.  
  
He sighed, pulling back slightly. "Holly?"  
  
One eye opened lazily. He stood up, dropping her face, even as longing filled his heart, looking at her pretty form.  
  
"Sorry." She muttered, picking up her hand held computer.  
  
"You have to try to stay awake," He told her gently.  
  
"Just keep talking to me, please?" She asked.  
  
"Very well." He went back to his computer, scanning through names endlessly. "I liked your choice of apartment." He commented wryly.  
  
"I'm sure it was heaven to a millionaire like yourself." She retorted in the same tone. Artemis grinned, as long as she was arguing, she would stay awake. He began asking pointless questions.  
  
"Isn't this a great reunion we're having?"  
  
"It's been one of the best and worst experiences of my life." She replied flatly.  
  
"Have you ever thought of taking up another career?"  
  
"No. Never."  
  
"How did you like our time on the balcony."  
  
"It was terrible."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because half the time I was so angry with you for your lack of emotion and your whole attitude, and the other half, I just wanted you to kiss me." Holly gasped, a second after the words had left her mouth. Artemis looked up from his computer, seeing the shocked expression on her face. Their eyes met for a breathless moment and Artemis felt an uncommon elated feeling take over him.  
  
That was when the armed guards began their loud patrol of the corridor outside.  
  
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A/N: Hehehehe, I know I'm evil. I know, half of you want to kill me. Well, at least you got a nice long chappie after so long. Well, the next one will be up ASAP, in the mean time, you know what to do people! 


	21. chapter 20

Disclaimer: Haven't had one of these in a while. I do NOT own Artemis Fowl, Holly Short or any of the other characters (Except Tsu Ling). They belong to Eoin Colfer. Got it? Good(  
  
Sheen Rox: To answer your earlier question; because I am Evil. Don't worry, I will allow you one H/A moment in this chappie that I haven't ruined. And sorry about the wait, I wasn't dead; I was just taking a break.  
  
Swimmerkitti: Ah, my goal in life has been achieved. Thankyou( And don't worry, this will NEVER turn into an idiotic love story.  
  
Dreamy-eyes: Cliffhangers? Me? Nah! I just like making you people suffer!(  
  
Seadragon: I know this isn't quite 'tomorrow'. Sorry about the long wait, enjoy the chappie..  
  
Adalia Malfoy: *presents updated chapter* Enjoy!  
  
lily z. (xanthgirl14@aol.com): *blushes* really? Thank-you! And don't worry about constructive reviews, I just like to know that I haven't lost any readers per chapter.  
  
Night: Yeah!! That S Club 7 song does go with the whole H/A thing! (  
  
Jessie: thanks for the compliments. I think I might have mentioned in chapter 1/2 (sorry if I didn't!!!) but Arty is 17.  
  
Earth Borne: *cringes* Oh no! No flames please!! *retreats, holding updated chappie as an offering* take it!!!  
  
Zalexiya: Thankyou so much, but the style of writing isn't mine. I stole it from Christopher Pike( *Men in black suits arrive with legal papers* Oh, damn! I shouldn't have said that! Gotta go.  
  
Cilantra: Thankyou! And of course I wont give up on this fic, *grin* the voices in my head wouldn't let me.  
  
Slime frog: thanks for understanding. Ugh! Don't remind me. I've started work experience now (which, for some insane reason I was forced to do in a bank) and it's just too stressful. *whimpers* I don't wanna grow old yet! So where are you doing yours?  
  
Kirjava: I have added some more romance into this chappie, hope you are happy with it-tell me if it sucks. Oh, and I have noooo pity, so expect more cliff-hangers (at a much later date) *evil grin*  
  
flamaria13 (flamaria13@yahoo.com): *cringes* I'm sorry!! Please don't kill me!!!! Oh, wait, you can't kill me or you'll never know what happens! Mwahahahahahaha, I am invincible!!! *as she says this, a trained assassin is focusing his sniper rifle on her* Don't worry, I'll try to be quicker in future.  
  
Snake-eyes1013: *grins* You'll just have to wait and see.  
  
Thankyou to the following reviewers (who's reviews had mainly compliments which resulted in me being too flattered to respond to: Mi Ch  
  
Ever  
  
Holly B  
  
Maud  
  
Esther Shin (esBigHead@msn.com)  
  
Michelle  
  
~*~*  
  
Silver Sunglasses and Rollerblades  
  
Mastermindq  
  
hollyshort29406  
  
HollyRoot  
  
*blows kisses* You people are the greatest! You're practically writing this fic for me. And now without further ado; chapter 20  
  
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Same place Same time  
  
"Because half the time I was so angry with you for your lack of emotion and your whole attitude, and the other half, I just wanted you to kiss me." Holly gasped; a second after the words had left her mouth. Artemis looked up from his computer, seeing the shocked expression on her face. Their eyes met for a breathless moment and Artemis felt an uncommon elated feeling take over him.  
  
That was when the armed guards began their loud patrol of the corridor outside.  
  
Holly failed to respond in any way to this commotion, too preoccupied with what she had let slip in her drug-induced state. Her mouth was still hanging open when Artemis grabbed her arm. It was still open as he hid the evidence of what they were doing, and dragged her into the adjoining service room. She managed to gain some self-awareness as she heard guards enter the Information room they had just been in, and closed her mouth with the tiniest of clicks.  
  
"What was that?" Came a rough voice from the information room. The voice seemed to carry authority; the owner must have been a Captain at least.  
  
"What's what? I didn't hear nothing, sir." Came the reply.  
  
"That's a double negative." A third voice sounded.  
  
"Shh, both of you morons! Or I'll have you digging for stink-worms!" This was followed by a lengthy silence. Holly covered her mouth to muffle her breathing, Artemis stood stock-still ready- it seemed- for anything. Finally "Must have been nothing. Come on, we've still got to patrol the rest of this deck."  
  
Holly waited until she could hear the metallic door swing shut until she breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she realised how small this service room was-there was barely enough room to swing a stink worm- and felt claustrophobic. There was no form of light except for a small beam from the information room that cut through the small space between them.  
  
Holly would have reached for the door, except Artemis was in the way and was showing no signs of moving. The words she had carelessly uttered were still fresh on her mind and she wished, more than anything, that she could turn back time. Finally, Artemis turned slightly to face her. His features were indistinguishable in the poor light.  
  
Her heart pumped erratically as she felt the warmth of his body, so close to hers now. "Did you mean what you said, about me not feeling any emotions?"  
  
Holly felt breathless and scared at the same time. What did all this mean? She couldn't-"Yes" Her voice came as if from far away.  
  
Artemis was quiet for a moment. "Did you ever consider, that you're just not as adept at reading me as you thought?" He asked softly.  
  
"W-what do you mean?" Her mind was in turmoil, trying to ponder hidden meanings and half-truths at the same time.  
  
"I mean, that you obviously can't tell how crazy it's been driving me. Being around you and not being able to-" He broke off as his lips pressed against hers, and his longing took over. Holly couldn't breathe, her mind cleared and only one thought filled her head. She wanted this. Maybe it was the truth serum that made her finally face her fears and doubts, and admit to herself that she had feelings for Artemis. But whatever the cause, with that realisation came a burning. She allowed her arms to snake around his neck and kissed him back, the voices that had once reminded her so clearly that she shouldn't feel this way had all but dissipated. Artemis's hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer still. When they finally broke apart, it was with reluctance, and only because of the need for oxygen.  
  
They were both breathing heavily. "I-"  
  
"Not now." She interrupted, pressing a finger to his lips. "Later. We have things to do."  
  
A pleasant shiver went down her spine as he kissed the tips of her fingers, then finally released her, opening the door. They resumed scanning the databases quietly, both of them having a lot to consider. Neither of the two could look at each other for very long. Finally, Artemis was successful.  
  
"I've found her." He said. "Opal Koboi, cell 118, deck Y."  
  
"Good." Holly replied, setting down her computer, "that's only ten decks up."  
  
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In the Control Room  
  
Butler stood struggling to hear what Foaly was saying on the communicator that Holly had given him. Verbil's breathing was just that loud. Butler looked at the Sprite, wondering if the LEP would really miss an 'out-of- commission' officer. "Verbil!" He hissed "Stop breathing or I'll stop it for you."  
  
This was followed by a lengthy silence in which Butler was able to catch some of what Foaly had been trying to say. ".and my thermal screen shows that they're heading towards that deck right now!"  
  
"What was that. Repeat, I didn't hear you."  
  
"I SAID THE BIO-FIELDS HAVE RE-ACTIVATED ON DECK Y!" The centaur's voice had never sounded so panicked.  
  
"What? Can't you take them offline?"  
  
"No, there's some kind of encryption code that seems to be alternating randomly. I c-c-can't stop them."  
  
Butler froze. "And Artemis is headed that way right now?"  
  
"Yes! Listen-I may be able to delay the process while the bio-fields are still booting up, but they'll have to get through the hallways within thirty seconds. There is a bio-field stationed at the end of every corridor but not in the shafts."  
  
"Understood." Butler cut the connection and spoke to Holly. "Captain, the Bio-fields have been re-activated on deck Y, Foaly is slowing them down but you'll have to get out of there."  
  
"Negative." Holly's voice was firm. "Koboi's cell is on this deck. We'll just have to be fast."  
  
Butler knew there was no arguing with the elf in this situation. "He says you have thirty seconds max. Be careful."  
  
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Holly conveyed Butler's message to Artemis as they ran down endless corridors. Every now and then, there would be a slight amber-coloured shimmer where the field walls were re-activating and the pair would have to add a burst of speed and hurtle through in time.  
  
She went over the cell locations in her internal map and was sure they were going the right way. But then, why did all the corridors look the same? She mused. It must be the colour, whoever thought that blood red was a cheery colour to paint the walls was dead wrong. Damn DTS. Scrambled thoughts.  
  
Suddenly, she realised that Artemis was falling behind. She was just going to slow her pace when a flicker of amber ahead caught her attention and she sped up, crashing through just in time. Nevertheless, the wind was knocked out of her and she came to a halt, clutching her chest and wheezing slightly.  
  
When she had herself under control, she turned around and the sight that met her made her wish she hadn't. Artemis was standing, panting, and examining the now fully operational bio-field that had sprung up between them.  
  
He grinned ruefully "These are quite remarkable pieces of technology." Despite him being behind the amber field, his voice projected clearly.  
  
"Outdated by fifty years." She gasped. She came right up to the field and pressed her palm against it, ignoring the twinge of pain as a sinking feeling claimed her stomach. "Artemis!"  
  
"Don't worry about me, keep going." He said quickly.  
  
Holly was aghast. "No-You have no weapons, you'll be-I can't leave you!" She could feel the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes, and wiped them away with an impatient hand. She had just found out how she felt about him!  
  
His forehead wrinkled slightly. "If we stay here, we'll both be seen. Run Holly, now!"  
  
"No!" She yelled.  
  
Artemis's tone became urgent, but his cool blue eyes softened slightly. "Please, hurry! Don't worry about me-I'll circle round that hallway back there-" He gestured vaguely "I'll meet you back here. Go!"  
  
Holly felt her insides lurch in protest but knew there was nothing else she could do. Blinking back fresh tears, she cast one last look at him-her abductor, her friend and the one she had come to care about so much-and ran.  
  
She hurtled down hallways without thinking, but sure she was going the right way. For a brief moment, she saw the numbers 118 and stopped abruptly. Thinking back to the computer screen she had seen earlier, she recalled the passwords and keyed them in. All five of them.  
  
The door slid upwards and disappeared in the frame, revealing a small cell that was sparsely furnished. Holly took a moment to catch her breath before taking several steps inside. This was no time for caution.  
  
What she had initially taken to be a lump of endothermic blankets on the cot suddenly gave a little shudder. Captain Short sucked in a deep breath of the stale air and marched right up to the cot, tearing away the blankets. Curled up underneath was the small and nauseatingly sweet form of Opal Koboi.  
  
Holly was not fooled. "Koboi." She snarled. "Or do we have someone else?"  
  
Holly lunged for the pixie's wrist, but was unprepared for any resistance and received a nasty shock as the pixie's arms and legs began thrashing wildly. Holly winced as one of Koboi's nails scratched her face above her eyebrow, breaking the skin and drawing blood. Curling her fingers into a fist, she drew back her arm and punched Koboi right on the nose.  
  
The pixie's palms flew to her own face and clutched her nose that was now spouting blood. She whimpered audibly.  
  
Holly grunted. "Good, now let's take a look at that wrist of yours." Holly grabbed her arm and was hardly surprised to find a holo-imager, closely resembling her own. "Hmph. Now let's see your true colours." She tore off the device and looked into the face of the impostor. She was a beady-eyed elf, must have been older than Root because the hair on her head was greying and she was clearly delusional.  
  
Holly was intensely sickened. Koboi had placed this woman-who was clearly ready for a home in a high security detention facility. Holly had to remind herself of the scratch on her face to avoid feeling completely sorry for the woman. "Koboi will pay for all of this." Holly swore as she left the cell.  
  
At least that settles it. She thought grimly. Opal Koboi was in league with the Sabres.  
  
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A/N: Phew, OK that wasn't quite a cliff-hanger was it? So what did you think? I wasn't so sure of this chapter myself (one of the reasons it took so long) but clicky clicky and lemme know. 


	22. chapter 21

A/N: Well guys, I was feeling generous so here's another chapter. Oh, and if you haven't already noticed I replaced that 'Note to readers' with the real chapter 20 yesterday, so if you haven't read that yet, go back!  
  
Disclaimer: same as last chapter  
  
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Same place & Time  
  
In Artemis' POV  
  
Artemis met Holly's eyes as she cast him a parting look. A look so filled with trust that he was overwhelmed with a sensation that he didn't get very often: guilt. He waited until she was out of his sight line feeling mildly disgusted with himself. First, he had lost control of himself and revealed his true feelings to her- feelings that he had been doing his best to ignore and repress- and then he had betrayed her.  
  
He doubted that she would realise that he had intentionally fallen back, or that he had let the bio-field separate them on purpose, but she would at least begin to suspect something when he lost control again. Artemis swore to himself that if this fell through, he would give up completely. He took the route he had previously memorised, constantly scanning cell doors.  
  
After much running and avoiding bio-fields, he found what he was looking for; cell 510, deck G, Mulch Diggums.  
  
Artemis had spent long hours thinking about his situation with Tsu Ling, and had only come to one conclusion. He had to find out more about the man and what evidence he had that Artemis had committed a murder. The main problem was, that Tsu Ling was a Millionaire much like himself. He lived in a mansion and had spared no expense on the latest security systems, systems that even he, Artemis Fowl, could not penetrate. So, the only solution was to find someone who could get through them. And who better than that loveable reprobate that had already assisted him once?  
  
Artemis had had no time to memorise passwords. Instead, he dug into his bag and fished out a device that he had been carrying for a long time. It was a crystallised laser-pen, guaranteed (by a respectable member of the Yakuza) to cut through any metal. He switched it on and concentrated the red-beam on the metal between the code panel and the door itself. Thankfully, it sliced through the metal quickly and efficiently. There was a moment of sliding mechanisms and the door slid upwards and into its frame.  
  
Artemis did not hesitate as Holly had; he had nothing to fear from Mulch Diggums, he was sure. He took several steps inside and looked around. Had young master Fowl been a cursing man, he would have let out a string of them right then.  
  
The cell was completely empty.  
  
"What could this mean?" he asked himself. Mulch could not have broken out by himself, he had to have had help. For a moment Artemis considered something disturbing, but then just as quickly he dismissed it. Mulch working with the Sabres? That just didn't fit.  
  
Artemis decided that this was definitely not the time to contemplate such mysteries. Later maybe. He spun around and left the cell, travelling at a much faster pace then he would have been capable of a few years ago.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Holly had hardly left the cell when Butler's voice resounded through her helmet.  
  
"Captain, are you there?"  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"Artemis?"  
  
"We got separated." She said a silent prayer for his safety.  
  
There was a pause. "Foaly's been watching him on the thermals, he says he's heading towards the shuttle right now. I suggest you do the same."  
  
"Affirmative" Holly agreed.  
  
"I'll meet you there."  
  
Holly didn't answer, concentrating on the steady beat of her footsteps on the panelled floor. The sound ricocheted down the hallways, making it impossible for her to be stealthy, but she preferred speed to silence anyway. Halfway down the final hall, she crashed into a huge figure. She looked up. "Where's Verbil?"  
  
Butler made a face. "He's staying."  
  
She nodded, not really bothered. Chix was hardly likely to get into any real trouble, since he did work there. She turned, intending to carry on sprinting down the corridors but stopped dead when she saw a flicker of amber form in front of her. She groaned. "It's weak, but we don't have anything strong enough to break it. What can we-"  
  
She was cut off as the Eurasian charged past her at an absurd speed. It seemed that Butler had had an overdose of Testosterone that morning, she thought wryly as the manservant slammed against the bio-field. The amber light flickered briefly, then died, allowing Butler to fall somewhat ungracefully onto the floor. Holly rushed to his side and bent down beside him.  
  
"That was stupid Mud-Man. Are you alright?"  
  
For once the Manservant had to look up at the elf. "Broken Arm." He grunted.  
  
Holly sighed. "Hold still." Gently, she placed her palm on Butler's arm, calling upon her magic. A few sparks travelled lazily down the length of her arm and towards Butler but quickly faded away. "D'arvit!" She swore. "Shielding the shuttle must have taken more out of me than I thought. Sorry, Butler, looks like there's nothing I can do."  
  
"I've had worse" He told her. "Let's get out of here."  
  
They met Artemis at the shuttle; he looked as if he had just got there. "I lost my way." He muttered. Concern touched his features when he saw the scar on her forehead. "You're hurt."  
  
He reached out with his hand but she moved away from him. "I'll be fine."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Holly related the events that took place in Koboi's cell on the shuttle ride back to the surface. Foaly had not contacted them since 11036 but Holly wanted to talk to him. Something was bothering her about the way Artemis had fell behind the bio-field. He was in good shape, he should have been able to outrun her any day. For some reason she thought talking to Foaly would help. Naturally she would leave out the details of what transpired between them in the service room.  
  
He had not kissed her since then and had acted perfectly naturally in front of Butler. Holly suspected that he was respecting her wishes of wanting to talk about it 'later' and followed his lead, but this did not erase the fluttering in her stomach whenever she looked his way, and once she had caught him watching her. Despite her sane half repeating over and over again that this was undeniably wrong, she knew she wanted to pursue it. One could not ignore such strong feelings.  
  
They did not stop in London, instead flying directly to Ireland. The first thing they did was to send Butler to a hospital to get his arm seen. Artemis would listen to none of his friend's protests and in the end had to order the man to go. Holly would not perform the ritual until night the next day.  
  
Neither one of them had to confer about where to take shelter and rest, they could not go back to Fowl Manor until they had confirmed that Trouble had done his part, so they checked back into Red Cow Morans, Meath Hotel.  
  
Both stowed their things away quickly and took seats in the main living area, knowing they had a lot to discuss. Their eyes locked and neither was able to say anything for a while, both rooted in place by the intensity of their feelings.  
  
Holly had to force herself to break the silence. "Do you think we should speak to Foaly before-"  
  
"Of course." Artemis agreed, a little too enthusiastically.  
  
Holly retrieved her helmet and placed it on the coffee table between them, switching to a private frequency. Foaly began talking before Holly had taken a breath. "I don't know what's happened, but I've lost contact with Trouble."  
  
It took a moment for her to process what the centaur had said. "What? When did this happen?" She demanded.  
  
"A little while ago. He was here, at headquarters, and I was in contact with him on a regular basis."  
  
Artemis frowned. "He was investigating Root's impostor?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Then he might have been-" Artemis stopped at the look on Holly's face. She knew what he had been going to say anyway. The Sabres had obviously discovered that Trouble knew more than he should, and now there was no guarantee that he was alive.  
  
Holly felt pure fury bubble up inside her, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. She slammed her clenched fist into the coffee table. "This has gone too far!" She cried. "First Root, now Trouble!" She jumped up from her seat and began to pace.  
  
"It wasn't your fault." Came Artemis's calm voice.  
  
She ignored him, hatred poisoning her heart. "It's Gus. Walsh. We have to take the fight to him. He's one of the ringleaders, there has to be something in one of his Mansions about what he's done with Trouble and what the Sabres are after." She felt a cool hand on her shoulder, urging her to sit down, and looking into those blue eyes, she could not resist.  
  
"Even if we knew for sure Trouble was alive, how will you get into his place without an invitation."  
  
Hope surged through Holly. He had used the word 'we', as long as Artemis Fowl was helping, she knew they had a chance. "I don't know." She admitted, sighing. "It's at time's like these that I miss Mulch." She made a face. "Don't ever tell him that though."  
  
Artemis turned away from her; Holly didn't notice anything amiss. Foaly was the next one to speak his voice was toneless. "I was watching you on the thermals, Fowl."  
  
"Really?" Artemis replied in the same tone.  
  
Holly frowned, but neither of them explained their strange comments. Foaly cleared his throat. "Actually, I do have an idea how you could get in there. But it would have to be tomorrow night."  
  
Holly snorted. "Why, does Mr Lint have a bed-time?"  
  
Artemis was frowning. "Lint? His name is Gus Lint?"  
  
"Yeah, why?" Holly yawned. "I've only said it a hundred times."  
  
The crease lines in his forehead only deepened. "It's just- you never told me his Full name."  
  
"Why is that important?" Foaly asked sharply.  
  
"Never mind." Artemis muttered.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Two hours later, Artemis went into the room he was to sleep in, but did not go to bed. Instead, he switched on a lamp and sat at the glossy mahogany desk. He took out a pen and a piece of paper and, slowly, not sure he would like what he was going to see. He wrote out two words.  
  
Gus Lint  
  
Then he rearranged a few of the letters and stared down at what it said, his suspicion confirmed. Gus Lint WAS Tsu Ling.  
  
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Dunh Dunh DUNH!!!!! Hehehehe, I've been wanting to write that for so long it's kind of a relief. I'm surprised none of you noticed! Come on people, you just swap round the G and the T, and the U and the S.  
  
So big revelation there. What did ya think? 


	23. chapter 22

**A/N: **Ack! Third page again! Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry for not updating for so long! But it honestly wasn't my fault this time! I kept getting that gateway timeout' thingy and couldn't log in. Anyway, my summer holidays have started now so you can expect updates a lot more regularly. *nods head frantically* I promise!

**NOTE TO ALL READERS: **I have been informed that most of you people who are reviewing this are giving me 'undeserved, glowing reviews' just to express your gratitude' and because I reviewed a lot of your fics. If this is true, I just want to say that you don't have to feel any gratitude or anything. I only review things that I really like, and if the fics are good I will go on doing so. So if you don't honestly like this, then I will not be offended if you stop reviewing. I do not enjoy getting praise that I do not deserve. However, If you DO like this fic, then pay no attention to this last paragraph and enjoy the chappie

Sorry, just had to get that out of my system.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Artemis or Holly or Butlerwhy am I bothering with this again? You probably all know it by heart by now.

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Red Cow Morans

Meath Hotel 

Ireland

Artemis looked at the piece of paper for the umpteenth time. The teenage genius's brow furrowed in deep thought as he pieced together the mysteries that had clouded both Tsu Ling and Gus's characters. As he did so, a flash from his laptop caught his attention. He had just received another Email from Tsu Ling. Artemis logged into his inbox. Although brief, the meaning of the message was clear.

_'Your parents and housemaid are excellent company. I trust I'll be seeing you soon.'_

Artemis had to take several deep breaths. Tsu had kidnapped his parents and Juliet - and wanted him to come or else. Furthermore, he probably knew of Artemis's collaboration with Holly, and wanted to him to bring her, in exchange for the life of his family.

The pieces had all fallen together, but Artemis didn't like the final picture. He knew what he had to do.

At that precise moment, Holly entered the room. Artemis closed his laptop with uncharacteristic rashness. He turned to face her, feeling the burden of clashed emotions. Why had he gone and gotten himself in this condition? A few years ago he would have known exactly what to do, done it and would have felt no guilt about whom he had trodden on in the process. Now things were a lot more complicated.

She nodded to him. "Foaly says you should make the phone call now."

The phone call. He had agreed to do it earlier, before he had been certain that their enemies were one and the same. 

Artemis thought fast. If he made this phone call, then Tsu would know that they were coming. He might as well just hand Holly over to Tsu. But if he didn't take that chance, then he might never see Juliet and his parents again. The plan that he had come up with was risky, and relied solely on the fact that he had been translating the scrolls that Tsu had emailed to him correctly. 

Holly handed him the phone, but it seemed that there was something else on her mind. "Artemis?"  


He took the phone from her, looking into her eyes he saw vulnerability, uncertainness. "Yes?" 

She sat down across from him, her head spinning with the events of the last fourty-eight hours. She looked at her shoes. 

How could she put into words all the things that she had been feeling for the last hour? All the doubts had come flooding back. What had she been thinking? She couldn't be falling for a Mud Man, especially not Artemis Fowl.

"What's happened between us, I don't think we should pursue it" She managed.

For a moment, Artemis's look reverted back to the self-assured expression that he had worn as a boy. "I see the truth serum has worn off."

"Artemis! Have you even thought about what this could mean? There has NEVER cross-species breeding, not even in the time of Frond!" It seemed as if she had wanted to say this for a long time. 

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Breeding? Aren't we thinking a bit far ahead, Captain?"

Heat rose to Holly's cheeks, but she did not stop. "What about this; Do you know how old I am?"

"Yes, I believe you are-"

"Because I'm a lot older than you! Do you realise that by the time you're forty I won't look a day older?"

Artemis's penetrating eyes met her own. "Does all this really matter to you?"

She swallowed. "Yes."

He took a step closer. "You'd rather go back to the way things were?"

"Yes" She whispered.

He came closer still. "I suppose your mind is made up?" There was a hint of a smile playing across his face. 

"Yes" Almost as if something had taken hold of her, she closed the gap between them with an urgent kiss, taking them both by surprise. She sighed into him, as he pulled her closer. If Haven was ever restored to the way it was, she would have a lot to answer for.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Walsh Enterprises

Ireland

Gus Lint or otherwise known as Tsu Ling was a very happy Sprite. All the years of planning had finally begun to pay off, and now there was actually a realistic chance that he might achieve his goal. 

He leaned back in his huge green comforter and sighed. At about this time, Fowl would probably be reading that email he had sent. The kid really wasn't as smart as he thought he was. Of course Gus had no doubt that Fowl had probably figured out who he was. Not that he'd be telling anybody after he'd read the email. Good. That would make it all the more interesting when the final battle took place. Ooh, sparks would fly.

Originally, he had had no interest in the Fowl boy. But after Opal Koboi joined him in his quest, he had begun to hear amazing things about the kid. That was when he had asked Koboi for another Holo-imager and hired on as Artemis's bodyguard'. After witnessing the boy's genius first hand, he had decided that a mind like that would come in handy when trying to decipher the scrolls. So he had set up that little attack'. Nothing like a little guilt to gain the full compliance of a criminal mastermind. 

Unfortunately, not long after, the cursed LEP had caught him with charges of 'living on the surface' and locked him up. It didn't take him long to get out, however, and when he did, he began to form the Sabres. The Sabres. Gus smiled ruefully. He doubted even now that the remaining LEP officers would have figured out what he was truly after. 

They probably still thought all he wanted was the destruction of their beloved police force. He snorted. Like he really cared about that, the havoc that the Sabres had been reeking on the LEP was all for Opal and her enjoyment. As was the removal on officer Kelp. Gus had no use for THAT fool. All that was a part of Opal's revenge on Captain Short. She had wanted to crush everything that the elf held dear. 

Needless to say, had Gus not needed her technology, he would have not put up with her. He preferred a quick efficient job. Speak of the devil

Opal flew up to the desk, perched on her hoverboy with a look of pure glee on her face. "Gus! Gus!"

Gus forced himself to smile. "Yes, my dear?"

Opal blushed girlishly. "You are going to looove this!"

"What is it?" He snapped.

Opal was not deterred. She grinned broadly. "We took out Vinyaya and she had the fifth scroll! There's only two more to go!"  


A slow smile spread across his face. "Excellent. I trust she has been replaced with one of out operatives?"

"Naturally"

All according to plan. Suddenly, Gus was all business again. He turned to her "Are you sure you don't have anything else to tell me?"

Opal rolled her eyes. It was at times like these that she almost missed Briar, at least HE had believed her when she told him something. "For the last time: NO! I did not have Root killed! Not that I don't wish I had."

Gus eyed her shrewdly. He was not fully convinced. Root's death seemed too timely a coincidence and he knew that HE hadn't killed him. Of course he had taken advantage of it, and replaced Root but he had his suspicions. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his office phone ringing. Blasted Mud Men! Why did they have to make the most commonly used means of communication such a pain in the.

Gus looked at the caller's number on his caller ID. It was Fowl's business phone. Gus picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Yes, Mr Walsh?" Artemis's voice was slow and deliberate. It was obvious that Fowl knew who he was, and knew that he would know he knew. Gus suspected that captain Short was listening on the other end. Obviously, Fowl did not want her to know about their past or present dealings. Gus was sure that Short trusted Fowl. It was something that he could easily use to his advantage.

"Fowl junior, it's been a while. How's the family?" Gus grinned evilly, of course, he knew EXACTLY how the family' was.

"Fine" Artemis replied evenly. "I was wondering if we could meet, at your house perhaps. I had a few issues that I would like your opinion on." That was it, he thought with satisfaction. Short had obviously asked for Fowl's help to get herself invited into Walsh enterprises. 

Gus was a very happy sprite. "Of course, come any time, bring a friend!"

There was a pause. "Thank you, I'll be seeing you soon."

Gus hung up the phone. Maliciously, he related the events to Opal. She bobbed up and down on her hoverboy with sickening delight. 

_____________________________________________________________________

Juliet Butler opened her eyes with a groan. She must be dreaming, there was no way that she was looking at a little green man with pointed ears and wings. She tried to pinch herself but found that her hands were cuffed behind her back. "That's funny." She mumbled. "I didn't go to sleep with these on."

"She's awake." Someone said. 

"I am?" She looked around, realising that she had been looking at a fairy. He didn't look like Holly, though. His skin was green and his wings appeared organic. Kind of cute in a weird sort of way, she observed. She looked around, close by were the hunched over bodies of Mr and Mrs Fowl. Her principles. 

She remembered now! She had been captured! She had tried her best to keep the Fowls away from the Manor, but eventually Artemis senior had begun to suspect something was amiss and had headed back. Then the fairies watching Fowl Manor had attacked them. She remembered clearly having knocked out three of them, but they had these little sticks that hurt.

"They haven't woken up yet." Came a rough voice. It wasn't the one that had first spoken, this one was female, she was sure. Juliet looked around and found that there were at least a dozen more little eyes watching her. More fairies. Oh great. 

"Where am I?" She demanded.

"Hmph, she's asking US!"

"I hate talking Mud-Man"

"Don't listen to her. She might be a spy." The voices came from all around.

Finally, a brown-skinned female shouted. "QUIET! Stop you're bickering! Do you know her Captain Kelp?"

The fairy that she had first seen spoke, but addressing her. "You're Juliet, right? Butler's sister?"

Juliet was confused. "Yeah, but ummwhere am I? And who are all you?"

"I'm Captain Trouble Kelp, these are council members Vinyaya, Stelmartia, Osiris" He listed a string of unpronounceable names. "I know Holly, she told me all about you. Do you know if she's alright?"

"How would I know?" She snapped. "I'm stuck in here with the rest of you, aren't I? A fine Butler I turned out to be! I got both my charges kidnapped and now I'm sitting here talking to a bunch of elves!" She looked down, distressed. "Oh, and now my new boots are totally ruined!"

There was silence for a moment. "Is she even sane?" Vinyaya asked in elvish. Trouble shrugged.

"So are you going to tell me where I am, or do I have to beg?" Juliet inquired.

Vinyaya was the one to reply. "We suspect we are in Walsh enterprises. This is one of two rooms designed to hold LEP officers. Gus Lint removes us, then replaces us with one of his operatives wearing a holo-imager."

Juliet just looked at her blankly. "I see."

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**Another A/N:** Sorry if that chappie was confusing, I was trying to explain a lot in one chapter, and I realise some of it might not make sense. Feel free to ask if you didn't understand something. I know it was short, but there'll be another soon. 

_Leonsalanna: _Eek! Sorry, I honestly didn't know about the truth potion thing. Big mistake on my part, I'll have to re-read the books to make sure I don't make any more mistakes like that.

_Night: _*cringes* No! Please, not Portuguese! Anything but that!lol, ouch! Don't even get me started on that numbing stuff.

_Kirjava: _*bows* Thank you, thank you. But you must be exaggerating; I don't use cliff-hangers that much. Do I?

_ElfGirl: _Ok, maybe I was embellishing calling it a 'big revelation', I was just hoping it was surprising.

_Sheen Rox: _whoa! That's like *counts* 180 pleases. OK, I get the hint, it wont be left this long without an update again. J 

_Slime Frog: _Cliffy? Darnit, I was trying not to make it cliff-hangery! Guess I failed, huh? So how was your work experience? Mine turned out OK; I'm on Summer Holidays (YAY!). Has your school broken up yet?

_Ever: _Sorry, I don't quite understand your question. Could you rephrase it please, or try rereading the chapters?

_Holly B: _lol, here you go...

_chrysgurl: _Yeah, well I figured Artemis should have become fitter over the years, and also, he does have longer legs then her.J I hope this chappie is longer.

_Jenni: _As I said, updates should become more regular nowJ 

_Kelaal: _You're kidding! Seriously, do you realise that _I _don't even have a full printed copy of this fic? I have half on scraps of paper, and half on my computer! J Anyway,at the threat of having something 'unpleasant' done to me, here's the next chapter. *grin*

_sponataneous human combustion: _That's OK. And don't worry about Trouble, I'm not so evil as to kill off TWO characters in the same fic.

_Earth Borne_: Phew. Good, flames are evil.

_Jade Sabre: _lol. Yeah, that's kinda where I got the idea from; the whole Voldemort thingy. 

_Dreamy-Eyes_: That's too bad. I got mine signed *evil grin*. The shop wasn't as crowded as I expected it to be, so I was also able to talk to him for a while. He said that the next book he releases will be a science fiction one, then the next AF book will come. So unfortunately, we'll have quite a wait. Just a little info their.not that you asked * hides*

_Star Child: _lol, thanks. I think I was on a sugar high myself when I wrote my Bio. J 

_Ak: _I'm trying, but there's still a while to go.

_Weeping Willow: _Really? Thanks.

_Akshu: _Yeah, I read 'A Twist of Fate' recently too. I don't think this will ever be able to compete with it but I can promise that Arty will NOT die at the end of this.

_bmw_: *grin* nice threat. Well, hope you liked it.

_Silverfang_: Thanks. I like your fic. Sorry I haven't reviewed recently, I haven't been able to get onto this site in a while.

_glow*in*the*dark : _Sorry it didn't live up to your expectations. Also if you are still reading this, thank you for giving your honest opinion.

_The REAL Ami Potter: _Thank you. *sigh*No, unfortunately I am not Eoin Colfer. *starts to cry pathetically* Well thanks for reminding me! J 

_snake-eyes1013: _Thanks

_hollyshort29406: _Cool, thanks. So what grade are you in? (just out of interest)

_Rini: _lol, I think this is far from perfect. Thank you for saying so, though. I hope you enjoy this chappie.

_nuna: _lol, no unfortunately my limited writing skills are nowhere near as good as Colfer's. Sorry about the spelling errors, I do use Microsoft Word, but I guess it overlooks some things. When I get time I'll find them and re-post the chapters; I know how annoying they can be to readers.


	24. chapter 23

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Hollyshort29406: Me? A murderer? Nah! And don't listen to what the tabloids say, that thing in Spain was an _accidentJ _Oh and to answer your question; Once I figure it out, I'll let you knowJ 

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Kelaal: I read that recently too! That fic is amazing! Don't worry, though. I can promise Arty will NOT die at the end of this.

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Flamaria13: Really sorry, I knew that chapter was too obscure. OK, if you don't understand something specific, please ask and I'll try to explain as best I can, or explain it in the actual chapter next time. If you don't understand something in general, please tell me and I might re-post the last chapter with some adjustments. 

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Captain Holly Fowl: *pant* It's 12:30 in the morning. I think this qualifies as ASAP. *grin*

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~*~*: LOL, yeah!

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Sheen Rox: Yikes! OK, here's the chappie, but no stabbing!J You're not annoying. *looks out of window* Maybe a bit scary…….but not annoying…….*grin*

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Holly B: I am warning you in advance, this is not the last chapter. Pleeeaaase don't kill me!

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Nuna: LEP stands for Lower Elements Police. Are you sure this isn't getting a bit….draggy?

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Leonsalanna: thank you. I think I must have had at least half a dozen reviewers abandon this already

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StarChild: Really, that's terrible! I don't have to go back to school til September. OK, I updated but…..*uses puppy-dog eyes*….can I have the purple weasels anyway?

Lessa: lol! Cool Bio by the way! I thought I was the only one who likes highlander! *looks around* Umm, I'm not am I?

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Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. You know the drill.

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There was a rustling noise as Artemis shifted his weight in the camouflage foils beneath her. They were currently airborne, Holly having strapped Artemis onto her Moonbelt in order to fly him to Walsh enterprises. Holly intended to land on the roof, and make their way down to the building's lower levels in search of some form of proof of what the Sabres wanted, and of what happened to Trouble. Despite the odds being stacked against them, Holly had residual hope left for her friend.

"Stop squirming, or I might _accidentally _take off this belt." She threatened good-naturedly. 

Artemis made a noise that sounded remotely like a highly sceptical exhalation, though through the muffling foil, she couldn't be sure. In response, she went into a steep dive, skimming a body of water by less than a foot before pulling out of it. She was rewarded by a small gasp from the foil cocoon and did nothing to hide her amusement. 

It was hard to believe how much things had changed between them. She still looked at him as a friend, but also a rival and a lot more.

"It's hard to believe anybody could actually _enjoy_ this." He said sounding slightly disgruntled. 

"Oh come _on. _Your telling me you don't find flying even _remotely _gratifying?"

"Not when you're the one with the controls." He rebuked.

Holly feigned indignance. "I was the best shuttle pilot in my class at the academy!"

"Really, well that does nothing for my confidence in the LEP's proficiency." He drawled.

Holly considered dropping slightly to sock him but him being strapped onto her Moonbelt if she lowered her altitude, his would only do the same, preventing her from being able to reach him. She settled for scowling at him, before realising that he wouldn't be able to see her anyway, as she was shielded. "D'arvit!" She swore. "I'll get you later."

"Looking forward to it, Captain." Was the muttered reply, and Holly felt a pleasant shiver go down her spine that had nothing to do with the night breeze. 

A large bleak building loomed ahead, pulling Holly out of her reverie. The sinking feeling in her stomach told her that they had reached their destination, as well as the fact that the words _Walsh Enterprises _were written in blue neon near the peak of the building. Their harsh lights gave the scene a cold clinical look.

Holly made a controlled descent onto the flat concrete roof, hitting the ground gracefully. "I hope we find what we need here." She said, taking back the foil.

Artemis watched her. "I hope Foaly has dealt with the security systems." 

"Why wouldn't he? He shouldn't have any trouble. They were made by Mud Men"

Artemis smiled wryly. "Despite that, aren't I correct in saying that he hasn't been in contact since last night?"

Now the elf frowned. "You're right." There was a pause, before she shrugged. "I doubt he'd have forgotten something as important as this." 

"I gather we'll find out soon enough" He replied, walking to the door used by caretakers to get off the roof and giving the handle a futile twist. 

"Stand back." She told him, lifting her recovered Neutrino and flipping a few switches. Artemis had barely enough time to get out of the way before a blast of ice ripped through the air and hit the area between door and frame, forming a sort of mould. She grinned in satisfaction. "The mechanism should be frozen, and more easily opened."

Artemis tried the handle again. There was some resistance, but eventually it swung open. He gestured for her to go first, raising an eyebrow. "Unorthodox, but effective."

She winked back at him. "Glad I have your approval." 

There was a flight of stairs that lead to the lower levels. Every other floor had and elevator but they avoided them, for obvious reasons. It took them a few minutes to locate the floor that must be home to Gus's office. A lot of floors were open to the general workers and it was doubtful that Gus would allow Opal or any of the Sabres to be seen by the average human employee. No matter how many Holo-imagers Opal had created. 

Gus, being the founder actually had several rooms at his disposal. The first one they visited was his official office. Holly began rummaging through his drawers, not really expecting to find anything so carelessly hidden. Artemis was shuffling through a stack of paper on the desk. 

"Anything?" Holly asked, when her efforts were fruitless.

"No." He replied. "There's nothing of importance here. Just some agendas, memos, business proposals-all legitimate documents."

"Let's try another office." She suggested. She began walking, then stopped suddenly, causing Artemis to bump into her back. "Wait! Did you hear that?"

He frowned. "I didn't hear anything."

"I'm sure I heard - it sounded like _talking._" 

"Are you sure you aren't mistaken. There's no one else here." He answered sceptically.

Holly scowled at him. "These ears aren't there just to frame my face, Artemis." She looked up, then spun to face furthest away, adjacent to the desk. "It's coming from over there."

Artemis walked over to the wall she was indicating. He squinted at it for a moment, looking puzzled.

"What is it?" She asked. He didn't seem to have heard her.

"Remarkable!" He exclaimed. Then for all appearances he walked _into _the wall. 

Holly stood, baffled for a moment, and then shook her head. She should have assumed as much, Gus had access to the latest hologram technologies, why wouldn't he have an outdated thing like this. The LEP used them all the time. They had used one to patch up the wall that the troll had made a hole in a restaurant several years ago. Holly's first encounter with the troll. 

She followed Artemis through and was greeted with the sight of a not-so conventional office space. Crammed with fairy technology, the media in Haven would have a field day at the sight of it. She trawled through his computer. Gigabytes of information flashed on the screen, all in elfish. 

Pulling out a blue crystal from her pocket, she placed it in an accommodating slot in the computer. 

"What are you doing?" Artemis asked.

"There is way too much information for me to go through right now." She told him. "I'm saving it and I'll check it later." She thought he was looking at the crystal. "The People discovered ages ago that crystals have characteristics ideal for storing large amounts information. They've become standard issue now. Sorry, human, disks are obsolete."

"Actually, I was looking over there." He pointed. "Even I can hear them now." 

Holly looked, there was another door, and the voices she had thought she'd heard were emanating from behind it. Holly took out her Neutrino and had it open in a few minutes. The sight that met her eyes almost made her laugh.

Dozens of little fairy bodies sat on the floor, shackled together. Holly recognised council members Cahartez and Lope. "Short!" Lope breathed, almost in disbelief.

Suddenly, Holly understood. There _were no_ corrupt members of the LEP. Gus had simply infiltrated it, by removing operatives and replacing them with his agents, wearing Holo-imagers. It was the perfect scam, the remaining LEP officers were turning on each other, not sure who they could trust, while the Sabres were free to do what they wanted. 

Holly looked at the room as a whole, confusedly. The shackles didn't appear to be magicked and they weren't even chained to the walls, just each other. "Why haven't you tried to escape?" She blurted.

"Don't be an idiot Captain! Lint has us under eye-ball orders not to try anything."

Holly realised that in spending so much time with humans, she had forgotten how to speak to a superior officer. "Oh, yessir. Sorry sir." Then "Are you sure there are no loopholes?"

"No." Cahartez answered firmly. "And believe me, we've had enough time to think about it."

Holly rubbed the tips of her ears, thinking for a moment. "D'arvit!" She said finally. "That Lint should be a lawyer."

"Thank you, Captain." Said a voice from behind her. "And may I say that _you _should be _dead._"

Holly whirled around. Gus Lint stood there, flanked by the two henchmen she had seen by his side since she had first started tailing him. He was wearing his second Holo-imager, appearing to be Chinese. Artemis stood a few feet away, inspecting his shoes.

"Lint." She growled. 

But his attention had fallen on Artemis. "Ah, I see. So it was _you _in that alley. It had been so long since I last saw you in person I had forgotten what you looked like, my friend."

For some reason, Holly was getting a sickly feeling in her stomach. "Stop talking gibberish, Lint. Leave him out of this."

Gus let out a loud laugh, poison to her ears. "Arty, you have done a remarkable job. She really has no idea, does she?" Lint turned to face her, a malevolent glint in his eyes, clearly savouring the moment. "My dear, Artemis has been in my acquaintance for a long time. He brought you here with my best wishes, and he has been helping me in my operation all along."

Holly didn't flinch. "You're lying." She said flatly.

This only caused him to laugh more, an ear-splitting nauseating sound that made her want to shoot him right there. "Why believe me? Ask him!"

Holly faced Artemis. He would not look at her. Something died inside Holly right then. "Artemis." She said shakily, pleadingly. "He's lying, isn't he?" Artemis still wouldn't look at her. It was enough.

She lunged for him. "YOU son-of-a-" She was pulled away before she could lay a hand on him, the henchman to Lint's left had stopped her and was now holding both her hands behind her back. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, and still, Artemis could not meet her gaze.

"Captain Short, I believe you've spent too much time among Mud Men." Lint said.

Holly was deaf to his words, pain coursing through her body. "How could you? She whispered, thinking Root and Trouble may have been with her right then if she had not trusted the one Mud Man she should never have. "Was it all a lie? I thought you'd changed. I thought- "

"As much as I'd love to listen to the rest of this, I have a prior engagement." Lint interrupted. "And _you _had better get back to translating those scrolls." He told Artemis. He gestured to the henchman that had Holly. "Take her to Opal. I'm sure she'll be glad to see her."

Holly's eyes became unfocused, and suddenly, nothing seemed to matter anymore. Gradually, a thought drifted to the surface. _How could I have been so _stupid_?_ The fact that she had believed that Artemis would care about anything other than making money, that he would care about _her _was ridiculous. 

She was vaguely aware of being dragged down several flights of stairs, but her mind didn't even bother to register it. Her heart felt like it had been put through a meat grinder, then trampled on by a herd of elephants. She relived every kiss they had shared together, trying desperately to convince herself that it had all be an act on his part. That it had been another one of his ploys to manipulate people. But her heart wouldn't let go.

She was dragged back into her body by the realisation that they were no longer moving. The henchman had let go of her. She looked around, dazed. They weren't actually _in _the building anymore. They were outside, on the street, the henchman standing infront of her, panting. Feeling baffled, she stared at him.

"Have you stopped acting like a comatose patient yet, Short?" He grunted. He was lifting up his foot, rolling up the pant-leg. He had something strapped onto his ankle. He tore it off, the device snapping in two. "I was getting sick of looking like that." He explained.

Holly looked up into the man's face, unable to believe her eyes. "No." She whispered. "It can't be." She took a step back. "NO!" She yelled.

"It's me, Captain. And stop shouting, or I'll have your stripes."

"You're dead!"

"Julius Root doesn't die that easily." 

For some reason, Holly didn't need any more convincing. Maybe it was the threat that he so often used, or maybe it was the typical male bravado. Whichever the case, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging her commander gratefully. When she pulled away, she was amused to see that the colour in his cheeks was slightly brighter than his usual red complexion.

"Er-Holly, Captain Short, we have to get out of here. _Now._ You have wings?" He asked.

"Yessir."

"Come on. We have a lot to discuss."

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I know, I know. Another cliff-hanger. I can't help it, it makes it easier to pick up from the next chapter. 

Besides, you can't have everything. You just got Root back. *grin* I told you I don't like killing off characters. Don't worry, all will be revealed next time. 

Buh-bye for now.

PS: If my screen name is now shadowweaver(1) it's because someone stole my screen name. Darn impersonators….friggin…


	25. chapter 24

**A/N: **Yikes! Whoa guys, it's only been a day…

_Aks__: Cool. I like ghosts, there's one living in my attic. J I'm sorry but you might have to wait for H/A to reconcile. Just because….I'm evil!_

_Sheen Rox _and _Kelaal__ : Hehehehe. Just wait and see.___

_Leonsalanna__: Your confuzzled? Don't worry, so am I. Only Artemis really knows what's going on, (he's the genius) though the truth will come out in the last few chapters._

_Holly B: _Sorry about the confusion, this chapter should clear up a few things.

_spontaneousxhumanxcombustion: lol, thanks, that was my first real attempt at fluff so it means a lot to me._

_kalariah_: _Well wait and see. *giggles at thought of Tsu Ling in a speedo* Yay! I managed to create a bad-guy that people hate. That was my main aim when I made him up._

_Ever: _OK, I've done a character profile thingy for you, it's at the bottom of this chapppie.…

_Jenni22: _Thank you! That means a lot.

_SilverButterfly__: I'll toast to that J_

_Kelsey: _Yep, you're exactly right (as you'll see in this chapter). Well done!

_~*~*_: Yup, something fishy's going on. But you wont find out exactly what it is for a while. For now, you'll know only what Holly knows. Muhahahaa

_flamaria13: _Mucho gracias. You wont believe this, but when I was reading your review, I was on a break from writing this chappie J

_bmw_:_ lol, I know._

**Disclaimer: **Blah blah blah

**This chapter may be a bit boring, but it should answer some questions.**

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Holly had to bite her lip to prevent herself from asking the many questions that kept occurring to her as they flew. Commander Root took her to an abandoned warehouse. It was dilapidated and decrepit, somewhere where they definitely wouldn't be disturbed. 

They entered via a wooden door its handle was rusted over and told of the years that had passed since it had last been turned. Inside, dust covered wooden floorboards gave the atmosphere a depressing feel. 

In one corner of spacious hall there was evidence of an attempt to make it at least slightly homely. Two damp-eaten mattresses were spread a fair distance apart. Several pieces of technology lay in the space between them, and a small cup held the Lower Element's finest brand of toothpaste. For some reason, the floorboards had been pulled up in this obviously inhabited area, revealing pure earth underneath.

Holly took all this in with the growing feeling that, as usual, she had no D'arvited idea what in the name of Frond was going on.

"Take a seat, Short." Root grunted.

Holly didn't comply, preferring to stand. "Sir," She began agitatedly. "I think I deserve to know what is going on."

Root nodded, from somewhere pulling out one of his trademark noxious cigars and Holly smiled despite herself. She was surprised to find she _could smile; after all she'd been through. "How much do you know?"_

"I know that you were supposed to have been killed in some sort of cave-in."

Root waved his hand dismissively. "That was necessary. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"But Foaly said-"

"I know what Foaly saw, Captain. It was all set up to look that way. I had to make everyone believe that I was dead." Root exhaled smoke, and then a smug look crossed his face. "Besides, Foaly needs a kick in the rear end once in a while."

Holly frowned, thinking that was definitely _not funny, but wisely kept her opinions to herself. "So why didn't you tell me?" She asked, feeling somewhat hurt._

Root looked uncomfortable. "As I said I had to have everybody convinced that I was dead, that way, all your reactions would look plausible." He saw her next question on her face. "Not long after you left, I discovered that Lope and Vinyaya were also corrupt."

"No sir. There _are no _corrupt officers on the council or anywhere else. Gus Lint just kidnapped-"

"I know that Short! How stupid do you think I am?" Root paused, daring her to answer. He seemed to want to take his time with the specifics. "Anyway so at the time I _thought_ they were corrupt. And me being the field agent that I am, I couldn't just sit around while those Sabres were taking over. So I decided to do a little recon. Get into Gus's inner circle and find out what their ultimate goal was. I learned a lot more than I thought I would."

"First off, Opal Koboi is working with Lint. They seem to have some arrangement, Opal creates the Holo-imagers to help him infiltrate the LEP and in turn she gets a supply of Sabres to do her bidding. Namely; wreaking havoc on Haven." 

"Meanwhile, Lint kidnaps our officers and replaces them with _his _cronies wearing Holo-imagers." Holly thought to interrupt to tell him she knew this part but immediately dismissed the idea. "Lint has two rooms where he keeps our officers, one of them you saw. He has Captain Kelp and a few other People in the second room, two floors up. Lint goes by three aliases. David Walsh, Tsu Ling and-"

Holly gasped in recognition of the name. 

_"Would one of these associates happen to be a Mr Walsh or a Gus Lint?"_

_"No" He answered._

_"Do you know either of these men?" There was a pause. Holly frowned. Questions under the mesmer were usually answered immediately by your subconscious, there was only a pause when higher consciousness was needed. _

_"Yes," He said finally. Holly took a breath._

_"Which one?"___

_"Tsu."_

Another memory added to the pain.

_"….Who's Tsu?"_

_"Why do you ask?"_

_"Is something wrong?"_

_"Oh, no.__ Not really. Tsu- his name was Tsu Ling – isn't someone you need concern yourself with."_

Holly gulped back a lump that had been forming in her throat. Artemis's subconscious had answered truthfully, she realised. He must have known Gus Lint as Tsu Ling at the time. At least she knew she could trust his subconscious, she thought bitterly.

"Short, are you listening?" Root had been speaking over her thoughts. 

She looked at him blankly, then a question burst to her lips. "Sir, what connection does Lint have to Artemis?"

Her commander looked at her strangely. "If you had been listening, I was just getting to that. Lint hired on as Fowl's body guard a few years ago under his 'Tsu Ling' pseudonym. Which reminds me, what the Hell was Fowl doing there? Do you know you _completely blew my cover?" Root's complexion worsened._

Holly didn't feel like relating all the events to her commander, or for that matter _anyone_ for a while. It would only result in her being humiliated at being enough of a fool to trust Artemis. And now she had ruined the chance they might have had of getting Trouble and the others out of there alive. Instead, she tried to divert him. "But how did you set up the cave in, Foaly said-"

Holly stopped talking, because _something was coming out of the patch of earth to the left of her. It looked like – _teeth? _Faster then Holly could string a thought together, a head emerged from the ground._

As if Holly hadn't had enough surprises already. "_Mulch?"_

The dwarf climbed out of the dirt, shaking his rear end to dislodge any clumps, then did up his bum-flap. Finally, he gave her a toothy grin. His tomb stone teeth encrusted with mud. "Bet you weren't expecting to see me here, were you Captain Short?"

"No, funnily enough I wasn't." She replied, feeling feint. "Commander?"

"I had to spring the convict from 11036 to help fake my death," Her Commander sounded more than a little resentful about it.

"Well that explains the toothpaste." Holly muttered.

Mulch nodded solemnly. "Gotta look after those pearly whites."

"Shut up, convict!"

"Julius, why so formal. I've seen the worst side of you." Then Mulch looked at Root's bulging stomach. "Scratch that_. You have_ no sides."  
  


Root looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel. Holly watched them incredulously, unable to believe that Root had been able to live with Mulch for an hour, let alone the past few weeks.

Holly cleared her throat noisily. "Uh, Commander. The Sabres?"

"I WAS GETTING TO IT, SHORT!"  Root took a deep breath. "Yes, the Sabres....Lint doesn't care about the destruction of the LEP. He's been after something else all along. The Spirit Sabre."

For a moment, Holly thought her Commander was joking. "The Spirit Sabre? That's myth! Urban legend!"

Root regarded her seriously. "It's more than that, Short. It's real. And he has it."

Holly's eyes widened. "B-but if he has it-its power-he could-"

Root was shaking his head. "He hasn't unlocked its power yet."

Thinking back, Holly could just about recall a song she had heard as a girl referring to the Spirit Sabre. At the time, she had dismissed it as old wives tales, but now….

_'Three Warlocks there once were_

_Each powerful and Bold_

_Though each of these fairies possessed_

_A black and tainted Soul_

_In shadows their power grew_

_Until it was something to be feared_

_Then at dusk a mud dweller came_

_And each one of them he slew_

_With the might of all the people_

_We conquered and enslaved their Evil_

_Trapping the spirits inside a single blade_

_This Sabre is forever cursed _

_The enchantment cannot be reversed_

_Until that fateful day should come_

_When the curse would come undone_

_Using rituals from seven scrolls_

_An enemy will doom our souls…'_

Holly shivered involuntarily. Despite what she had said to Artemis about believing in fate, she did not like the way that the doom of all Fairy kind part sounded so prophetic. "The seven scrolls." She whispered, realising that those must be the 'scrolls' that Lint had Artemis translating.

"Since the Spirit Sabre went missing, the scrolls were separated and distributed among key figures in the LEP. Vinyaya had one, Lope had another." Root said trailing off.

So that's it, Holly thought bleakly. Lint was kidnapping key members of the LEP to get the seven scrolls of the Spirit Sabre. And what's in it for Artemis? The chance to co-rule the world? To Root she said "How many has Lint got?"

"Six."

Holly gulped. "We have to get to the last one before he does, or-".

"I think it's time to talk to Foaly." Mulch said. Holly stared at him, half a salami sandwich was hanging out of his mouth and he dropped it hastily at her unspoken question. "Where's the profit in the end of the world?"

Root didn't even answer, a fact that stressed how dire their situation was. The power of The Spirit Sabre was legend. It's wielder would be virtually invincible, with abilities that would make it feasible for him or her to rule the world.

Holly took out her helmet. "I haven't been able to get in contact with Foaly since last night." She remarked.

Root flipped a few switches on his own helmet. "Physic hotline. How may I be of service?" Foaly's tired voice said.

"STOP MESSING AROUND YOU IDIOT! I'LL TEAR YOUR BUDGET IN HALF!"

There was a stunned silence, then the sound of keys being pressed. Foaly was obviously running a voice-recognition programme.

"Who are you?" He said finally.

Holly interrupted; worried Root would have an ulcer. "Foaly, it really is Root." She quickly explained how her not-so-dead commander had faked his death. 

There was a few moments of silence in which she was sure Foaly was pulling himself together. "You weren't serious about that budget cut, were you commander?"

"Foaly," Holly began. "What happened to you this morning?"

"Why don't you ask Artemis?" He answered bitterly.

Holly wasn't sure she wanted to know what he meant by that. She was spared having to ask though. "I'm pretty sure Artemis cut my connection to your helmet." Foaly began telling them how he had seen Fowl go to Mulch's cell in 11036. "I had my suspicions then, so I started monitoring his emails. It turns out Fowl was receiving quite a few from our 'Tsu Ling'."

Holly felt tears of fury burn her eyes at the fresh evidence of Artemis's betrayal.

"That's our Artemis." Mulch said proudly. "Always on the winning team."

"Shut up, Mulch." Holly choked out.

Mulch frowned at her. "Say Captain, there wasn't something going on between you two, was there?"

Holly turned away abruptly. "Me and Fowl? Don't be ridiculous."

Commander Root frowned. A month ago Captain Short would have decked Mulch just for _implying _that she felt something for Fowl. Now, it seemed like she was hiding something. He did not press the issue, however, despite what people thought he was a sensitive elf when he had to be.

"Foaly, we need to know where the location of the seventh scroll is. _Now. And without needless commentary."_

There was a few clicking noises before "Ah, that's the one that the Mud Men found in a dig. They have it at a museum in….your not going to believe this Holly….England. The British Museum to be exact. They mistook it for an Egyptian artefact."

"I don't believe it." It looked like they'd be going back to England.

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YAY, the title finally makes sense! (I hope)

**Gus Lint: **A sprite who had once been convicted of conspiring with Koboi. He fought Holly one year before (see chap 2). After serving his punishment, he went up to the surface and Opal made him three Holo-imagers. One of them appears to be a middle aged business man (David Walsh) The second is a Chinese man (Tsu Ling.) With Opal's help he formed the Sabres and began his attack on the LEP.

**Tsu**** Ling: Gus Lint's second personality. Under this disguise he hired on as Artemis's body guard and set up the 'mafiya attack.' After Fowl fired him, he began to blackmail Artemis into helping him translate the Spirit Sabre Scrolls.**

Hope that cleared some things up for you, Ever.


	26. chapter 25

_Kelaal__: _lol! Really? Yeah, that is ironic. J

_Holly B: _Umm…well…after this chapter, you'll probably want to kill me. *hides*

_Fowlet__: _*grin* wait and see…

_Kelsey: _Thanks. J Umm…Blue green mice? Cool. J

_Flamaria13_: Well I wasn't at the time but it's here now! J 

_Kalariah__: _lol! No, you can't kill Lint! I need him for this chapter! You can have him afterwards though. *grin* I promise.

_SilverButterfly__: _Really? *sigh* That's good. I know my writing style can be a bit obscure at times.

_Hollyshort29406: _Yeah, the Spirit Sabre's a sword. J Well done!

_Fuzzbunni__: _Sorry I missed you in the last chapter. lol, Julius wasn't OOC?

~*~*: Phew, that's good to knowJ

_Aks__: _Muhahaha! You can't send me to jail – I have diplomatic immunity. lol, well, I'm not sure exactly how long this is gonna be.  There wont be a sequel, though. The ending I have planned is pretty final. (But I have this really weird idea for a companion that I might post up later). Oh yeah, I read 'A twist of Fate' too, that fic is AMAZING! It was actually daunting to read cuz this is my very first ficcy but… *shrugs*…I manage to get the next chapters outJ

_StarChild22: _Sorry, no Artemis POV in this chapter, there might not be one for a while but…Hmmm…Holly hitting Artemis? I think I can weave that in…..*grin*

_Sheen Rox: _*pant* I wrote as fast as I possibly could. You haven't imploded yet have you?

_esBigHead__: Nope, no fluff for a little while now. Sorry, I find it extremely hard to write J_

_spontaneousxhumanxcombustion__: Well Holly decks someone in this chapter, so enjoy…_

_Librarynymph__: Yeah, I know I have a real problem with making myself clear. It's something I'm working on. Some parts you aren't supposed to understand, but mostly it's just my tired brain making it difficult. Thanks for the constructive criticism! (I'm not being sarcastic, I mean it.)_

_Bmw__: _It does? Phew.:)

_leonsalanna__: I hope so…J_

_Captain Holly Fowl: _This was as soon as I possibly could. 

_lutefa__: _Yikes!_ You're kidding. __Lightning? Wow. How did that happen? Do you keep a metal conductor on your roof or something? J I would have completely freaked out and ended up in the attic or on the roof where the fire would have killed me. J  You were on the news? Cool, you're famous! Can I have an autograph?_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Artemis Fowl. *sob* well thanks for opening old wounds! I own Gus Lint…but he really isn't worth owning. Anyone want him? I'll throw in a museum guard for free!

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Great Russell street

London

The flight to England was uneventful. With the wind pushing against her, and whole communities below her, Holly felt her natural good humour return to her. At least for the short time that they were flying. It seemed that as soon as her feet touched the ground, all her troubles returned to her, and she presently felt an impetus to take off again. With an effort, she squashed the feeling, concentrating on the task at hand. There would be time to feel awful…later.

Commander Root touched down beside her. They were behind the British museum, cloaked by the shadow of the impressive building, and shielded. They would not have trouble with entering, it was not a private dwelling: there were plenty of 'Welcome' signs hanging around. At a stretch, that qualified as an invitation. Holly awaited her Commander's orders but he was preoccupied considering, she assumed, how the hell they were going to retrieve the seventh scroll from a museum crawling with Mud-Men.

Finally, he spoke. The customary ironclad authority strong in his voice. "We'll go in now. We can't risk waiting until later. Fowl or Lint or the German army could steal it from under our noses in _this _crowd. We'll have to risk using a Concusser. Barricade the doors as soon as I give you a go, understand?" Holly nodded. "With any luck we'll be out of there in thirty minutes."

Holly nodded again, thinking they'd need a lot more than 'luck' to pull this one off. Root began walking towards the front gate. "Sir?" She called. 

"WHAT?" He yelled, acting as if she'd just distracted him in the middle of a military operation. It was lucky there was no one close by at the time. Though Holly had serious doubts as to whether the whole of the Museum hadn't heard him.

"Umm, you're still shielded. Don't you think we should use our Holo-Imagers?"

Root struggled with himself for a moment. "I know that, Short. I was just going to suggest - well don't stand there looking at me!"

Holly had to hide a grin. She slipped her Holo-Imager onto her ankle, remembering that it had worked that way for Root. Instantly, he features transformed and she became a pretty young Mud-Woman and Root became Gus Lint's henchman. 

They went inside slowly, attempting to blend into the crowd but feeling nonetheless singled-out. It was a matter of minutes for them to find the Egyptian exhibit. 

They split up in search of the Scroll. Holly had an affinity for the Egyptians. To her they were one of the most sensible people in Mud Man history. Apart from that mummification nonsense. It was not until she came across the Head of the Mummy of Irthorru that she noticed a worn scroll amongst amulets that had been found with the relic. She snorted as she realised that humans had mistook the seal on the scroll for the design on the pectoral ornament found near the mummy. It was similar, but not the same.

Holly caught Root's eye from across the room, signalling that she had found it. "Everyone, can I have your attention please." Root said, his voice painfully loud. He withdrew a small sphere from his pocket and threw it into the thick of the crowd. "Look!" He said, neglecting to layer his voice with the mesmer. Despite this, everyone in the area leaned over to look at the small silver ball.

Holly put on her helmet and turned her back to it, knowing that her commander would be doing the same. Before she could draw a breath there was a loud blast and a blinding flash of light. Mass unconsciousness was immediate. Holly ran to bolt the doors, jumping over Mud Man bodies strewn all across the floor. 

"Most impressive." Holly stopped, and felt her fingers curling into a fist at his voice.

"Lint." She growled, turning to see her commander being held at gunpoint by two armed men. Gus Lint was standing by the door she hadn't got to in his 'Tsu Ling holo-imager, and Artemis was a few feet away. 

"Well isn't this a nice little reunion." Lint continued listlessly. "Butler, restrain her please." He added, his voice flowing with the mesmer. Holly felt two massive hands grabbing hold of her wrists from behind her. "He's a strong willed one, don't you think, Holly? Artemis, cuff her hands behind her back." The latter had no trace of the mesmer, but Artemis came forward voluntarily with handcuffs. 

Holly felt her heart sink. He was _actually _in control of himself and was going to hand her over to Lint. Even Butler was fighting it, she could feel his hands loosening. Stop feeling sorry for yourself! She ordered. Gus is overconfident; you can use that to your advantage.

Holly looked at the floor, the picture of a beaten elf, but watched Artemis's shadow as it edged closer. With strength she did not know she possessed, she broke free of Butlers' hold. All her rage and pain manifested in her fist making contact with Artemis's jaw. Taken by surprise, he fell to the floor, making Holly remember all the times she had hit him when he was a boy. 

Root had switched on the tunnel high beams in his helmet, the glare distracting his captors long enough for him to escape, and was running towards her. He grabbed hold of her hand and turned her around, dragging her behind a particularly large sarcophagus. Holly's respect for her commander grew as she realised that this was the perfect place to take refuge. Lint and his followers were on the other side of the room, and the seventh scroll was in the area between them. 

Holly retrieved her Neutrino from its holster and opened fire on them, Root following her lead. Their opponents returned the favour, but were unable to get a clean shot in. Even Butler, under the influence of the mesmer, had taken out his Sig Sauers and was shooting at Holly and Root.

Holly stuck her head up briefly from behind the sarcophagus to see if Lint had managed to get the scroll, but so far, no one had made an advance towards it. She felt Root yank her back down. "I know what you're thinking Short!" He yelled between Neutrino blasts. "And you are NOT going after the scroll now!"

"I'm sorry sir!" She yelled back. She had never been one to follow orders.

She shot a few blasts without aiming, just to make sure they weren't watching too closely, then she bolted. She could hear Commander Root bellowing after her but blocked it all out, concentrating on her target. Blasts of red fire rained down on her and she was forced to alter course accordingly. 

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GET HER YOU FOOL!" Gus Lint shouted his outrage.

Now she could hear someone coming behind her, but there was no time for that, the scroll was right in front of her. This was definitely not the time for subtlety. She thrust the butt of her Neutrino into the casing and the glass shattered immediately. As gently and as fast as she possibly could, she plucked the scroll from the exhibit, ignoring the pain as shattered glass tore at her skin. 

She spun around. The sight of Butler hurtling towards you at an insane speed is the stuff of nightmares. This was one of those moments where Holly proved exactly why she was such a good field agent. Thinking fast, she took out the Safetynet - that Root had issued her with - and flung it up over her head. A shield blossomed around her, enveloping her entire body in a transparent two-metre sphere. In the same instant, Holly drew on her reserves of magic and shielded.

Butler, his mind slowed from being under the mesmer did not seem to know what had happened, and skidded to a halt next to her. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE YOU IDIOT! SHE'S UNDER THE SHIELD! Lint screamed furiously.

Holly held her breath as Butler picked up the bubble, and her, and began to tear into it with his bare hands. Timing it perfectly, she jumped out, narrowly escaping Butler's grasp. Within an instant, she had Lint's other goons after her.

She managed to get to Root, and he shielded too. Holly could feel her magic waning. It was obvious that they would not be able to get out of there without some kind of miracle. 

Ask and you will receive. 

The doors of the Egyptian section burst open, revealing a very disgruntled security guard and a few of the Museum's staff.

"What the bloody hell-"

Holly took the opportunity to make a dash for the window. Root was fast on her heels. The sound of gunfire followed her as she crashed through the glass and rocketed out into the sky. 

When they were a fair distance away, Holly let out a small whoop. At least that would cause some problems for Tsu Ling. He would have a hard time explaining why he was having a gunfight in the British Museumto the Mud Men authorities. 

Later, Holly told her commander that she needed to perform the Ritual. She was not completely out yet but, needless to say, recent times called for extra caution. The nearest hot-spot was at a park and he took the scroll and agreed to meet her at the gates. She would take a while and he needed to…well he needed some alone time.

She removed her helmet and walked slowly, not really feeling in much danger. Although graffiti ruined the benches and the amount of litter was undeniably disgusting, the atmosphere was almost peaceful.

It wasn't hard to find the right spot. Clutching her acorn, she bent low to the earth. Suddenly, the unmistakable feeling that someone was watching seized her. She froze, panic claiming her insides. Fairy instincts were never wrong. Then comprehension dawned on her, and that was almost worse than not knowing.

"How did you know I'd be here?" She asked softly.

"I knew."

Holly closed her eyes, wretchedly trying to wish away the pain that his betrayal had brought her. "I think we're getting to know each other too well." 

"Is that a bad thing?" Artemis asked, quoting himself.

Holly turned around, levelling her Neutrino at his chest. "Yes" She whispered. "I don't have it. You might as well leave." She added. He was there for the scroll, why else would he have come?

"I don't want it." He told her. 

She swallowed. "Why does he need you to translate the scrolls?"

Artemis did not look surprised at her questions, or the fact that she was holding him at gun-point. "There are some characters used that are unfamiliar to your fairy alphabet. They're actually derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics. Also, the whole thing's in riddles, who better to solve them then a genius?" He paused. "There's no need for that." He added, referring to her gun.

She aimed the weapon higher, ready for a head-shot if need be. "I think there is." She replied coldly. "What are you doing here, Artemis?"

"You have to know, this isn't what it looks like. I'm doing this because it's the only way to stop him. I was forced into this, Holly. You have to believe me."

Why? Why did he have to toy with her emotions like this? Her hands trembled. "Oh, I bet you were." She said sarcastically. "I bet you have some great scheme to stop him, don't you Artemis?" Her voice broke. "I trusted you! I thought you'd changed!" He made a movement towards her. "Don't!" She yelled, shaking her gun. "Don't come near me!"

But he was pressing something into her hands, it was cool and metallic. She looked down. A circular coin with a hole right in the middle of it lay in her open palm. "You gave me this once to remind me of the spark of decency within me." He said, his voice almost pleading. "When I'm with you, you turn that spark into a flame, Holly. I _have _changed, and you're the reason for it. Right now I think _you're _the one who needs to be reminded of that."

Holly felt her hear harden. How dare he! He was standing there, looking hurt like _she _had done something to _him. _"Why? _Why,_ Artemis?Why should I believe a damn thing you tell me?" She asked, waving her arms emphatically. "Because we're friends? We're not friends and we never will be. We're rivals! The way it should be!"

Artemis stepped forwards, heedless of the gun that was now pressing into his chest and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I thought we were a lot more than that."

Unable to meet his gaze, she looked at the ground. Her face was softer for a moment. "We can never be." She whispered.

Then, she backed away, letting his hand drop to his side. She put her Neutrino back in it's holster and finally looked at him. Her eyes were clouded with tears but her gaze was steady. "Stay away from me, Artemis. If I see you again, I'll kill you." She said, finishing in a whisper. Before Artemis could do anything she shielded and took to the air.

He stood there for several minutes, despair convulsing his body with the realisation that he had just lost the only person he had ever loved. For good.

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**A/N: **Don't kill me, Sheen Rox and Holly B, the last statement was _not_ true. I promise.

Next chapter we find out what the Scroll says…


	27. chapter 26

_Kelaal: _I'm a-writing

_Sheen Rox: _*hands Sheen Rox a kleenex* Don't worry. There _will _be reconciliation.just not yet.

_Holly B: _*grin* Yes, many times.

_Andarilha: _*blushes* OK, I _know _I did not deserve _that. _That was by far the highest praise I have got since I began writing. I seriously read your review over and over, wondering if you were joking. I'm so glad you enjoy this fic so much. Thank you for reviewing.

_Earth Borne: _lol! *looks around for a tissue but then realises she's given them all to Sheen Rox* Don't worry! Things will work out.

~*~*: *Is busy waving stinky fish at younger brother* huh? Oh, well I used the name Lint because I kinda wanted Gus to sound really disgusting/low, like scum. *thinks* I guess I could have used the name 'scum' but I also wanted it to be an anagram of Tsu Ling. And you're NOT bugging me.

_Illusion Warrior: _Thank you, and cool pen name.

_SilverButterfly: _*snatches Arty-poo away from SilverButterfly* Wait! I'm not done torturing him yet! You can have him when I'm done. 

_Fowlet: _hehehe, not yet I'm afraid. But soon.

_Kirjava: _drastic? *Shudders in fear* Don't worry it wasn't.

_Kalariah: _Hehehe. You're meant to hate Tsu Ling. And don't worry about your 'widdle' Artemis *sniggers* he'll be fine.J 

_Leonsalanna: _One museum guard: sold! J 

_Queen Tigris: _check /

_Spontaneousxhumanxcombustion: _check //

_The Wolf Child: _I'm glad you like it so far.J And cool pen name.

_Leo's Fire: _Thank you. I'm glad you like

_Alostblackcat: _My bad. I'll fix that as soon as I get the chance, and thanks for telling me.

_Me: _You have to remember that it's been six years. Fairy's don't change much in such a short time so she didn't recognise him. Also, Holly was preoccupied with her mission, the last thing she expected was Artemis to be there.

_lutefa:_ lol! hmmwell I don't think I've done any of those things but I did get that stupid virus thingy. *grr* You know, you remind me of my cousin. One time he climbed up the pipes from the garden and climbed through my window in the middle of the night just to scare the living daylights out of me. It wasn't funny either because he dislocated his arm doing it. He still says it was worth it because I screamed like hell. 

_Hollyshort29406: _Thankyou thankyou thankyou! I love it! My old summary sucked.

_Carabas: _A Mary-sue is an 'other character' who is too perfect and clichéd and generally tends to fall in love with Artemis. Well, I'm not an expert but there are some anti-mary sue parodies that give you a pretty good definition of them. Try reading a few of them and you'll probably understand it better.

_Dreamy-Eyes: _Thankyou, and sorry about the wait.

_StarChild22: _Really? That's great! I'm always looking for something to read, if you get the chance, I'd like to read some of your book. My email add is silverangel_1988@yahoo.com. Well, if you don't mind letting me get a look at it.J Anyway you were right about the 'hear' thing. I'll fix that as soon as possible. And thankyou for pointing it out.

_Pink-Flower: _lol, I'm a-writing.

_Poohsbestfriend: _I have a horde? Cool.J ) And thankyou for saying so, I'm glad you like it. And yes: Tamora Pierce Rulz! The Immortals was my favourite. 

_Bmw: _lol, sorry I was so slow.

_EsBigHead_: Thankyou. Enjoy the chappie

_Mage Kitty: _Hey, you back! And alive apparently*grin* That's good, I thought you stopped reading at the third chapter or something.

_Queen-of-Gondor1: _lol, don't cry. Sorry, I meant to check out your fics but I haven't been online for a while. I'll rnr as soon as possible.

_Slime frog: _*shrugs* eh, I've been called worse. Track me down and murder me? *locks doors and windows* I'm not afraid of you! *hides*

_Aiko: _Thank you, but I'm the one who's honoured. I've seen fics that are a lot better than this but don't have half the reviews that this does. I'm so happy every time a get a review like yours, though I probably don't deserve them. Oh and if you like A/H without mindless fluff, you should read 'A Twist of Fate' by Stardust Firebolt. That fic is amazing. Another one of those that people keep recommending.

_Flamaria13: _That sounded like a threat to me, but I get death-threats on a daily basis so maybe I'm just paranoid. *glances over shoulder nervously* Um..gotta go.

**My reviews have passed the 300 mark! Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou! This has far exceeded my expectations and I really appreciate all the feedback that you give me!**

**Special thankyou to Hollyshort29406 for my new summary!**

**OK, there's some important info here so read carefully**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Artemis & co. I wouldn't be on this website writing a ff. I'd be RICH and HAPPY and you couldn't sue me. Since I don't, I am, and I'm not, so please don't.

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Back in Ireland

Root and Mulch's warehouse

Commander Root dug around in his pocket for a cigar and was extremely irked when his efforts were fruitless. Lately, he had needed them more and more. In his silent fume, his attention strayed to Holly, who was seated on one of the damp-eaten mattresses with her eyes downcast. After completing the Ritual, she had barely said a word, even about the scroll or Gus. In her open palm, lay a gold coin that she had not put down since England. 

The strange thing was that she kept lifting it up as if to throw it away and inevitably brought it back down again only to stare at it with a look akin to contempt plastered on her face. A look that made Root seriously consider whether she had gone section eight. Moreover, her eyes lacked that fiery determination that had once burned so bright in them. Before, Root would have compared Holly to himself when he was in his prime, but now she seemed like a beaten fairy. Someone who had let go of all hope that anything would work out.

Commander Root wasn't sure exactly what had happened to her, but he had some idea. "Blast that Fowl." He muttered angrily. He knew that Holly would go to the ends of the earth to complete this mission, but after that? Something told him he had already lost one of his best officers. 

The seventh scroll lay in the space between them, unravelled it covered at least twelve metres of stone floor. In some places, it was slightly torn where mud man archaeologists had been careless, but other than that, it was remarkably preserved. Before leaving England, he had sent Foaly a picture of the whole thing via his helmet and they had yet to hear from him. The plasma screen that he had set up flickered constantly, and was the only source of light in the dark warehouse.

"Julius, I'm home!" Mulch's sing-song voice tore through the silence like a trumpet at a funeral parlour. Inappropriate and unwanted. Although, Commander Root was almost glad to hear it. He was in desperate need of someone to vent his frustrations on.

"What took you so long, convict? If you tried to pull anything, then in the name of Frond I'll have you moving boulders in Howlers Peak for the rest of your worthless life!" The dwarf gave his rear end a shake and fastened his bum flap as if receiving this threat was something that happened to him on a regular basis. Which it did. 

"What have you found out?" Mulch had been hanging around in mud-man criminal strongholds, trying to find out anything valuable about David Walsh. Normally, Root wouldn't have let the reprobate out of his sight, but this was not a normal occasion and Julius Root knew how to bend a few rules when the occasion called for it. 

Mulch sniffed midway through taking out a carrot. "Julius, Julius. Why so hasty? Here I am risking my life to help friends in need and-" 

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR IDIOCY SO GET TO THE POINT!" Commander Root yelled at the top of his lungs.

Mulch continued as if he had not just been shouted at by a scary looking elf who largely resembled a steam train. The disconcerting thing was that he didn't have a cigar in his mouth and yet you could practically see puffs of smoke clouding his face. Maybe after centuries of smoking he had started to steam at the ears. 

Fortunately, Mulch's ramblings were interrupted by Foaly's triumphant voice. "I've got it!" He exclaimed. He had reappeared on the plasma screen and was looking extremely happy with himself.

"Got what?" Root asked, still fuming over Mulch.

Foaly spoke slowly as if the commander were dull-witted for not knowing the answer to his own question. "The seventh scroll, commander. I've got as much of it translated as possible." Holly didn't move but Root could tell that her ears perked up at this.

"Oh." Root replied. Then, "Ohhh. Well, read it out!" He ordered.

Foaly let out an exaggerated sigh. "You really think it's that easy. You know, I had to integrate Egyptian hieroglyphs as well as Gnommish onto my whole system. And then there were characters that fit neither text so I had to essentially build a whole new language programme and install it on _all _the-"

"Foaly." Root's voice was deadly calm. Never a good sign. "However long it took you to translate that one scroll it's probably taken Fowl half the time to translate six of them so you can see how we're kind of pressed for time. _Get to the point._"

"Er-yes well," Foaly took a breath and began abruptly. "The text directly translated is too long to read out in full. It goes on about some sort of prophecy for a little while, but I'm sure we all know the song. There's also a section that I am sure summarises some of the other scrolls. It speaks mainly of the magnitude of the power of the Spirit Sabre but it also has some references about how you acquire that power."

Foaly seemed to be considering exactly how he should word what came next but nobody spoke. It was too important that they all understood this part. "As near as I can tell, the full potential of the Spirit Sabre is too great to be released all at once, so it's released in three stages. Knowledge, Invincibility and Magic. In that order. Once the wielder has all three, he is one with the Spirit Sabre and no longer needs the actual blade. With all three stages he would know _everything_, he would be completely invincible and would have more magic in his left nostril than the entire fairy population."

There was a heavy silence and whatever remnants of levity that might have lingered in the air, now vanished without a trace. 

"Are you saying that Lint could already be invincible?" Root asked hoarsely, mourning his cigars.

Holly ran a hand through her auburn hair, causing it to spike up. "He'd be unstoppable." She breathed. It was the first time she'd stirred in a while but this fact went unnoticed.

"I doubt he already has Invincibility." Foaly disagreed, though his tone wasn't convincing. "There are certain things you must do to gain each stage of power. And like I said, the stages must be gained in order. He can't have Invincibility without Knowledge. I'm not too clear on what it is you have to do to gain Knowledge. I think it has something to do with reading all the scrolls."

Root breathed a sigh of relief. "Well he doesn't have this scroll." He bent and stroked the seventh scroll like it was an old friend.

"Geez Julius, do you want us to leave you alone with it?" Mulch jibed. Everyone ignored him.

"To gain Invincibility, you must perform the Ritual at the location where the Spirit Sabre was forged. The scroll doesn't actually specify where that is, but I can research into that later. To gain the Magic, a life sacrifice must be made. Another thing the scroll hinted on was that the full potential of the Spirit Sabre does not strictly have to go to one person. The three stages could be divided between three people, or two if one person had two stages"

Mulch shook his carrot knowingly. "That's why Koboi is working with Gus. Gus must have promised her a stage of power." 

Root had tuned out of Foaly's techno-babble as soon as the words 'life sacrifice' had been spoken. Anger broiled in the depths of his psyche, he would get his people out of there before that psychopath could lay a finger on them, he resolved determinedly. Placing that thought in a safe part of his mind, where he could call upon it to motivate him if need be later, he voiced another thing that had been bothering him. "So what's in it for Fowl? He never struck me as someone who would do something for nothing. Much less bring about the destruction of the earth-"

"Who cares? He's evil and so is Lint. The world would be better of without both of them." Foaly said bitterly. 

Root bristled, looking from Foaly's head, oversized in the plasma screen, to Holly, who was staring at the coin again, eyes downcast. Now he was sure that there was something he didn't know. Neither of them offered an explanation. He turned back to Foaly, "What exactly _was _Fowl doing, working with-"

"He wants it." Holly's voice was quiet; barely a whisper, but it made them all jump. 

"_Who_ wants _what_, Captain?" Root asked eventually.

"Fowl, sir." Her voice gained certainty as she spoke, belying the sickly feeling that was now securing its hold on her insides. "He wants the Spirit Sabre's power. That's _why _he's working with Lint." 

It made sense, Root observed. He knew first hand the extent of Fowl's greed. "How do you know?"

Holly frowned. "I just do. I can't explain it. But it's more than a gut feeling, sir. Art_Fowl_ would have formulated a plan to steal the power from under Gus Lint's nose by now."

Root nodded slowly. He did not have to ask for confirmation. Holly was, after all, the leading expert on 'The Fowl Files' in general. He doubted any fairy knew him as well as she did. "Convict, what did you find out?" he demanded, remembering that Mulch had been interrupted before.

Mulch was chewing on a carrot nonchalantly. "Oh so noooow you want to know?"

Root sucked in a deep breath, sorely missing his cigars. He strangled the air vehemently. "TELL ME NOW!"

Mulch sighed patiently. "It would help if you said the magic word."

Root's eye began to twitch violently. Finally, Holly intervened, her voice wary. "Mulch, just tell us." 

Surprisingly, the dwarf complied. "Mr. Walsh has been buying parts and having them delivered to his factories. Seems like he's building something." Mulch chewed thoughtfully. "As near as I can tell, he's building some sort of craft."

"That's _all?_" Root barked. "All you could find out was he's _building _something?"

Mulch shrugged. "You try finding out about the doings of a millionaire when you're this height and have no money for bribes." Root had no answer for this, which afflicted him more than anything Mulch could say. 

Holly, meanwhile, was waging an internal war. No matter how hard she tried to forget the pain of everything that had happened, something would always come back to remind her. She hated it, and she hated the hold that Artemis seemed to have on her. She vowed to herself that she would not jeopardise Haven's security by letting her feelings get the better of her. She was an LEP officer, damnit! It was time she started acting like one.

Resolvedly, she walked over to the plasma screen, not noticing that she still clutched the gold coin in her hand. "Foaly," She began. "Show me your translations." She wanted to check for clues about where the Spirit Sabre was forged. Wherever it was, that's where Lint would go next. 

Foaly didn't question her. Immediately, the screen's view was cut in half. To the left was Foaly himself, to the right was an image of Foaly's computer. A black horse was trampling over lush green grass. "Oops." Foaly muttered. I must have had it tuned to Mud-man television. The things those people watch!"

Holly smiled. She had caught him watching _Black Beauty _more than once. Eventually, Foaly began accessing his computer's memory and tried to display a copy of the seventh scroll. But the computer did not display anything. A second passed and an oval creamy white stone flickered on the screen. An opal. The stone did not stay stationary, but instead bounced around the screen. "In case you can't tell, pony boy. You've just been hacked!" Opal Koboi's voice was loud and gloating, emanating from the computer. 

Foaly was punching keys furiously. When he spoke, his tone did not inspire confidence, neither did his words. "She's got my translated copy." He said incredulously. He seemed in a state of shock, unable to believe that the pixie had infiltrated his perfect system twice.

Holly rubbed her temples. That meant that Gus Lint would know everything that they did within the hour. They divulged this information to Commander Root who nearly had an ulcer.

"Gods above," He moaned. "What else could go wrong?"

And of course it's never a good idea to say that.

Abruptly, an almost blinding tunnel high beam light from an LEP helmet was pointed directly at Root's face. For a moment, no one could see a thing. Holly blinked rapidly, squinting until her vision cleared. The beam vanquished the darkness from the farthest reaches of the warehouse. "Turn-it-off!" She ordered the newcomer, somehow knowing that he was not a threat.

There was a muffled noise that sounded suspiciously like a 'sorry' and the room plunged into darkness once again (omitting the dim glow from the plasma screen). The figure then removed it's helmet and there was a relieved sigh all round. 

"Corporal Kelp, what in Havens name are you doing here?" Commander Root barked. Grub did not look well. Holly almost felt sorry for him.

Grub Kelp seemed to waver slightly under Commander Root's steely glare, but then stood straighter, his chin poked out stubbornly. "I-I'm here to help s-sir." He fiddled with his helmet as he spoke but something about the way he held himself revealed a fresh sense of determination in him. It was clear that he was not about to be turned away. "Th-that guy has my brother. My _brother _and I'm not about to let anything happen to him." He suddenly remembered who he was talking to. "Sir." He added hastily. 

Holly looked at Grub Kelp. He was different somehow. There was a definite change about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Root was frowning at him dubiously. "If you really _are _who you say you are, then how could you tell that Trouble's impostor wasn't really him?" He demanded.

When Grub spoke next, Holly knew what the change in him was. He had sobered. Grown up. The events of recent times in conjunction with the possible danger that his brother was in had slapped Grub in the face, forcing him to become this pallid resolute individual that stood before them now. It came as somewhat of a shock to her. Grub had always been the baby, the screw-up of Retrieval. It seemed that everything around her was changing. Well that's fine. She thought stubbornly. Because I'm changing too.

"Trub was never that nice to me." He said, in reply to Root's question. "His impostor didn't even care when I went to mommy." Well, maybe he hasn't changed _that _much, Holly thought dryly.

Commander Root nodded in understanding. "Corporal, I'll be honest with you, we need all the help we can get. But this isn't a pleasure cruise. We're facing a foe that may become indomitable, and it is extremely likely that we will die trying." Grub Kelp shivered but nodded firmly. 

"Um, that was a touching, reassuring speech, Julius. But don't you think we should relocate?" Mulch was saying.

Root whirled on him. "And why would I want to do that?"  
  
Mulch was unperturbed. "Because. The Sabres are watching all shuttles, in-going and out-going, right? Well in that case, Grubby boy had just led them to us." 

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*pants* well that's all I've got for today, folks. 

Ciao 


	28. chapter 27

***Finds muse hanging himself in kitchen* What the hell are you doing? We have to update! *to audience* Sorry about the l-o-n-g wait but now my muse seems to have spouted out something that vaguely resembles a chapter, including (drum roll please)an Artemis perspective! So sit back and enjoy**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. NOTHING. The characters belong to Eoin Colfer, the Pattern and anything to do with it belongs to Robert Jordan. Please don't sue me! I'm poor! 

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Grub froze. "I-I didn't mean to - I - I was -I mean" He spluttered incoherently, but no one seemed to be listening. Commander Root's complexion had paled - something that had not happened for over a century and Foaly was punching keys furiously. 

"Another shuttle left about five minutes after Grub's did. I doubt it will take them too long to find you, Commander." He reported, his voice terse with agitation.

Root's head jerked up violently. "Everyone, pack up!" He barked. "We're moving out. NOW!"

Holly did not need to be told twice. She quickly gathered the few items that belonged to her, snatching up a pair of Hummingbirds and a Neutrino as well. Almost as an afterthought, she dug around for a throat-mike and stuck it to the front of her neck. It immediately assumed her complexion and seemed to meld to her skin. 

When she looked around, Root was done with his things too, and had scattered what remained around the warehouse, giving the impression that no one had been there for a while. Mulch, however, had not budged an inch and was still working on the sack of carrots that were sitting next to him. Grub was working on disconnecting the plasma screen, and seemed to be having some difficulty with it; his hands were shaking uncontrollably.

Holly sat down beside him, and reached behind the screen to help him. "I-I'm sorry. I only wanted to h-help Trub." He moaned. A pleading note had entered his voice. Holly took pity on him, recognising the sincerity in his tone.

Holly shrugged uncomfortably. "They might have found a way to find us anyway, corporal. Don't beat yourself up." Her eyes darkened, and she added under her breath. "With those three working together I doubt there's anything they _couldn't _do."

Before she cut the video feed, she heard Foaly say. "I'll be in contact, but right now I've got to see if I can find out any more about the Spirit Sabre."

Holly nodded. "While you're at it, finding out where it was forged would help. Wherever that is, that's where Gus Lint and co. will go next." She cut the connection and stood up. Root was forcing Mulch out of the door, using the barrel of his Neutrino as leverage. 

She felt weary to the bone. Sure, this was what she had signed up for when she had joined Recon; it _was _the most dangerous posting, but a big part of her yearned for the comfort of her own bed. All this constant running and guessing at what the enemy wanted and_"stumbling around blindly in the dark" _Butler was right. She thought bitterly. And now he's been pulled into this too. Gods, I never thought I would want so much for the dullness of Haven city. After this, traffic duty would look good to me.

They left in haste, and Root led the way to the shuttle that he had taken to the surface. Unlike the one that Holly had used to travel to the detention facility, this older model did not have shielding capabilities. Holly was mildly surprised that Root had risked an over-ground flight, but then, a mud man seeing them was the last of their worries right now.

It was hidden in a secluded area, dead leaves and trees masking what it really was. After they were inside, Holly realised that Root had been watching her. "Captain, when was the last time you slept?" He demanded.

Holly blinked, caught off guard. Now that she thought about it, she was exhausted, she barely stifled a yawn. She had been so caught up in the tangle that they were in - no, that the _whole world_ is in, she corrected herself - that she hadn't even considered sleep in what seemed like an age. "Uh, I thinkit must have been" She trailed off, knowing that he wouldn't be satisfied with her answer either way.

Root shook his head, angrily. "Hit the sack, Short. If you fall asleep in the middle of a fire fight, you'll help no one." She began to protest but he fixed her with a steely glare. "That's an order Short!" He growled, all trace of concern vanishing.

She sighed, and found herself a corner to sit in. It was far from a luxury cruiser, but the floor was comfortable enough. I don't know why he's making a fuss, she thought between yawns, it's not like I'll even be able toHolly was asleep before she could complete the thought.

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She stood on a vast grassy plain, gently sloping hills were just visible in the distance. Sweet aromas saturated the air around her and a light breeze lifted her hair. It was daytime, yet the rays of sunlight did not seem to irritate her. It was odd, she knew it was a dream, and yet she felt no compulsion to wake up. It was so much nicer here thanwhere had she come from anyway?

Someone was with her, sitting in the grass in front of her. Holly squinted at the figure, but she - Holly thought it was a 'she' - was not clear. The closer Holly tried to look, the more distorted the figure became. Holly couldn't make out a face, only an outline and couldn't even tell if it was fairy or human. Eventually, Holly gave up trying. The figure was working on something that was spread out over the grass.

"What are you doing?" Holly asked, frowning as the words left her mouth. She had meant to say 'What am I doing here?'

The figure held up it's work. It was a tapestry. Threads of every colour had been worked intricately into patterns, twirling and circling and looping in and out of each other. Rich and vibrant colours that almost hurt Holly's eyes seemed to spring to life within the material. The overall affect was one of profound beauty. 

"It's amazing." Holly breathed.

The figure held up the end of the cloth, gesturing offhandedly. "The end is near."

Suddenly, Holly had the irrational feeling that the figure was talking about more than the tapestry. Gus Lint. Artemis. The Spirit Sabre. It all came back in a flash. "We'll stop it." She said, trying to sound confident. "He won't get the power of the Spirit Sabre."

The figure now pulled at a single blue thread until one side of it was free. "Sometimes, when the entire pattern of threads is at its end, the only way for it to continue lie on the shoulders of one of them." The figure said, and the remaining threads took on a life of their own, they branched out and blossomed, continuing the weave. "But if the wrong move is made, then the entire thing may be ruined." She said, and she pulled the blue thread back into the pattern, dragging it underneath some of the others. As if in response to this, the tapestry broke apart, every thread was separated and the wind lifted, scattering them amongst the grass. 

Holly frowned, uncomprehendingly. A sense of loss filled her, now that the pattern was gone and she wondered if the woman could make a new one. The figure was still holding up the blue thread. "You must make that move, Holly. The pattern rests on your shoulders now."

Holly started. "What?" Suddenly, Holly felt confused. What was the woman talking about? A pattern? A thread? What did that have to do with her? "I don't understand. Who are you? What do you know about Gus Lint? Do you know anything about the Spirit Sabre?"

It was hard to tell, but she thought the woman was shaking her head. "What you must know, I have told you. You will have to make a choice, Holly."

Holly trembled. A thousand questions burst into her head, but only one of them made it's way to the surface. "What must I do? What is the right choice?"

The figure was even more distorted now, Holly couldn't see her outline, and soon she wasn't even sure she was looking in the right direction. "You will know the right choice when the time comes. But it will be up to you to make it." 

The plain around her was also fading now. Desperately, Holly tried to cling to her surroundings. That wasn't enough! She had to know more! "Wait!" She yelled. But it was too late, the hills around her were a barely recognisable green smudge. Dimly, she could feel herself waking up.

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Upon waking, Holly remembered little of her dreamsomething about a blue thread?and soon even that lingering memory was lost to her as she let herself become embroiled again in the mystery of the Spirit Sabre.

They were all seated outside when Foaly contacted them. Grub retrieved the plasma screen from the shuttle so none of them had to move. The shuttle had become increasingly cramped. From Foaly's expression, it was hard to tell whether his news was good or bad. 

"What did you find?" Root questioned.

Foaly assumed his LEP-meeting-briefing tone. "There was nothing else I could decipher from the scroll itself but I did have some luck with a search I ran on ancient folklore. There were several hits, but a lot of them were nonsense. There were, however, a few things that were consistent in all my sources." He coughed importantly. "Firstly, was one phrase that kept coming up. Loosely translated, it meant that only the Spirit Sabre can undo it's own work." 

There was a heavy silence. Finally, Commander Root voiced the thought that they all shared. "So what exactly is that supposed to mean to me? And for once in your life, Foaly, give me the facts with no technical jargon!"

Foaly sighed, as deeply as he dared. "It means, Commander, that even if Gus Lint does gain stage two of the power then he will not be _completely_ invincible. The Spirit Sabre can still kill him."

Root barely restrained himself. "Foaly, right now I am more interested in prevention, not cure! Do you have anything useful for me?"

Foaly muttered something about being unappreciated before replying sulkily. "There are only hints as to where the Spirit Sabre was forged. Something about 'three points joined' and a 'magnet' but there's nothing conclusive. Apparently the information we're after is only written in the other scrolls. And as you know, Artemis has access to them, so he's probably got it all worked out now."

Holly slammed her fist into the ground in frustration. No matter what they did, Artemis, Gus and Opal would always be three steps ahead! It was infuriating. 

"What else?" Root asked tiredly.

"The only other consistency was that old song. Even that had several different versions, though."

Mulch burst out into chorus with an air of singing around a campfire. "Three fairies there once were, each powerful and bold! But each of these warlocks." Everyone ignored him.

"What do you mean, 'different versions'?" Holly questioned.

"Oh, some of them were slightly different. Just a few words here and there. Some of their tenses were changes from past to future, that kind of thing."

"Oh."

Holly lost herself in thought. There was too much to consider here. Then, a flash of something metallic out of the corner of her eye brought her out of her reverie with a jerk. "Commander!" She yelled, standing up.

But it was too late. They were surrounded. 

Figures clad in the trademark black of the Sabres were perched on the roof of the shuttle, and amongst the trees, with their deadly Neutrino 500s leveled on our unsuspecting heroes. A short blast that came from Holly's left ruptured the casing of the plasma screen, and their connection with Foaly was cut off.

Holly lifted up her palms, the universal gesture for 'I give up! Don't shoot' but with the same motion pulled out her Neutrino from it's holster. In seconds, blasts of red fire ripped through the air, raining down from all directions. Root had his out and was firing too. Holly was running, she barely registered the fact amongst the chaos around, looking for cover. She could hear Root fast on her heels, but surprisingly, it was Mulch that jumped out from in front of her. 

Her eyes widened as the dwarf jumped into the thick of the Sabres. _What in Haven's name is he doing?_ She thought. Then the _Sabres _were running. Scattering away from the area where Mulch had jumped into, and it took her a moment to figure out why.

Mulch had landed facedown and was eating ground rapidly. He had started his descent into the ground in the thick of the men, and was not sparing in his leftovers - that were cannoning out of the quickly vanishing dwarf's rear end and knocking many Sabres back. "CONVICT!" Root was yelling, but Holly saw past the fact that Mulch was escaping enough to realise with a start that he was making a diversion for them. Thank you Mulch, she thought. The Sabres had finally deviated from their perfect formation enough for Holly, Grub and Root to actually have a chance of escape.

But the dwarf's stunt didn't last long. The Sabres were already recuperating and coming after them. And they had Grub. She had not paid close enough attention to where Grub was, and amidst the confusion of the firefight, Grub had been caught. 

The Sabre who had him shook him roughly. "That's enough! Lower your weapons." Holly obeyed immediately. She was not about to be responsible for Grub's death. Root did too, if slightly more hesitantly.

She heard the Sabre chuckle. "That's better. Now. Our orders are to take you to our boss, and if you cause any trouble" The Sabre gesticulated violently, making it clear what he would do. 

Cuffs were slapped onto their wrists. 'Cuffs' was the generic term, but they were nothing like those big gangly things that Mud Men used. These were small chip-like metal plates that were put onto both palms. Once on, only a precisely focused ion beam would open them. The two were not connected in any way, but the cuffs sent paralysing rays into the arms they were attached to, so the prisoner would not be able to move their arms from the shoulder down. Courtesy of Koboi laboratories. 

Holly found it extremely hard to fly with her arms hanging limply at her sides, but a threatening Neutrino was always near. 

They were taken back to Walsh enterprises.

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Walsh Enterprises

A small office

Artemis's POV

Artemis inspected his fingernails. This was all too easy.

Gus Lint aka Tsu Ling sat beside him, watching eagerly with a greedy glint in his eye. Almost, the fairy reminded Artemis of a small child who was opening his Christmas presents a day early. That was before he remembered exactly what this 'child' had put him through. But that didn't matter. Not now, when revenge was so close and tangible. 

Slowly, taking his time, Artemis opened the file on the laptop in front of him that he had been working on for so long. The translation of the sixth scroll. Lint jumped up from his seat and pushed Artemis out of the way, reading through the text gluttonously. "Yes, Arty! This is it! Soon, soon I will have it! The power will be mine and so will everything else!"

Artemis had told Lint a long time ago of the things needed to gain each stage of power. There had been no avoiding that, he knew Koboi would hack Foaly's computer and find out for herself anyway. For stage one - Knowledge- of course, all that was needed was to read and understand the scrolls. However, Artemis had known all along that he would hide certain details from Lint.

All part of the plan.

The plan! Always, Artemis was on the point of cursing his own genius for predicting the unfolding events so accurately. With a pang, he thought about Holly. The look on her face when she had thought he had betrayed her was enough to make him feel like she was ripping his heart in two. But I didn't betray you, Holly, he thought. Stop thinking about that. He ordered himself. She was safe with Root for now.

Of course he had known before they had entered Walsh Enterprises that Root was alive and well. It had taken some time for him to figure it out, but the absence of Mulch from his cell at 11036 was enough. Then, with the scrolls at his disposal he discovered that there was only one way to defeat Lint. He would beat him to the power.

Lint had finished his reading and was looking at Artemis expectantly, now. "Well? Why don't I feel any different? You said that if I read all the scrolls I would gain Knowledge, the first stage of power." He barked, his good humour apparently lost.

It was true, that was what he had said. But there were two reasons why Gus Lint couldn't gain Knowledge. One; Because what he had been reading was Artemis's slightly altered copy of the scrolls, and Two; because Artemis already _had _stage one. The power had come when Artemis had finished deciphering all the scrolls. Like a tidal wave, he had been submerged with knowledge about the blade called 'The Spirit Sabre' and with it came a yearning. A yearning to be complete. A yearning for the other two stages.

Artemis shrugged mildly in response. "Maybe you aren't supposed to feel anything. But you know everything there is to know about the Spirit Sabre."

Gus Lint snarled. "Not everything, my friend. You still haven't told me where we must go for stage two. The vessel is complete."

Stage two could only be gained where the Spirit Sabre was forged. The clues in the scrolls had been extremely obscure, and it had taken him the better part of an hour to figure it out. "We're going to the Bermuda Triangle."

Gus stared at him in disbelief. "You're joking."

"Hardly. Three points joined. Magnetic fields and a place of lost souls." Artemis said, listing off the clues. "It's elementary really. Geophysicists have theorised that the odd occurrences that seem to take place there is due to electrical energy released by rocks with a high crystalline content-"

Lint waved his arms impatiently. "In English, please."

Artemis sighed. "Basically, the power of the Spirit Sabre may release only in those conditions. Of course, there is the investigators theory that there's a black hole located in that area and-"

"Shut up!" Lint yelled. 

Artemis had to hide the vampire grin that was spreading across his face. He took small pleasures in annoying this man, as so few things seemed to do so. Finally he said. "Tsu, I've done as you asked. Now can you release my family?" Artemis would give him this last chance to repent, to save himself if he would take it.

Lint's humour returned. "Now now, Arty, I couldn't have you trying to stop me with none of your family's life at stake, now could I? Don't worry. They will not be harmed." Artemis nodded, he had expected as much. But that didn't matter, he would free his parents and Juliet when the time came. All part of the plan.

A loud beep announced that Lint had received a text message. He read it with a widening grin. "Good." He murmured, then turned back to Artemis. "It seems we have some guests. Come, I think you'll like this surprise."

____________________________

Holly was thrown roughly onto the floor in a room furnished like an office. A grunt and a squeal told her that Root and Grub were beside her. Their armed escort left them then, all except two who stationed themselves in the two corners of the room behind her, weapons at the ready.

Holly stood up with an effort; her bones seemed to creek doing so. There was another door in the far corner of the room behind the burnished wooden desk. A moment later, the doors burst open. Gus Lint came striding in importantly, Artemis in tow.

She bared her teeth; not sure which one of them she wanted to hurt more right then. Once more, Artemis did not meet her gaze, instead standing behind Lint. His allegiance was clear. I was a fool. She told herself for the hundredth time. How could I ever let myself fall for him? But a skipped beat of her heart and a clenching of her stomach told her how. D'arvit! She thought furiously. I must have gone section eight.

With a disgusted snarl she turned her gaze on Lint. "You won't win." She told him defiantly. "The People will think of a way to stop you." 

For a moment, she almost expected him to strike her, but he only laughed. "My dear, the People have enough problems of their own back in Haven to last them a century. My Sabres are making sure of that. Besides," He added maliciously "Anyone who might have stopped me is locked up in one of two rooms right now."

Root cursed him in seven different languages, Holly was slightly impressed but Lint only laughed. "Yes, yes I think you would make a excellent sacrifice." Holly stared. "Don't feel left out, my dear. I will be taking all the prisoners here with me as well as Commander Root. Stage two demands a life sacrifice and I intend to make it a spectacular one. You however have been a thorn in my side for too long and do not deserve such a fast death. You will be kept here until I have the power I seek, after which I will return and decide what I should do with you."

Holly swallowed. As she did, she felt something shift on her throat. The throat mike! She had completely forgotten about it! Foaly would be hearing every word! The overconfident fools hadn't thought to check for bugs, and why would they? They _had _caught them unaware. With a shaky voice, she asked. "Where are you going?"

Gus Lint stroked his chin, he seemed not to have heard her. "You will be kept here, don't worry, this one can stay with you for company." He gestured to Grub who gulped audibly. "But for now, I must go. I'll see you again soon."

Holly smiled too sweetly. "Count on it."

Gus looked at her briefly before turning to Artemis. Holly tilted her head slightly to listen, few people remembered except those who had been with her in the academy, but she had excellent hearing. "Have them put into a separate room, I don't want them talking to their old friends. Release some sleeping gas into the room, they should be kept asleep until we are done in Bermuda" Bermuda?? Holly thought, baffled. 

But that was not the important thing. Holly thought fast. This was a Mud Made dwellingsleeping gas meantfor a moment, she had to stifle a laugh. Either something of Artemis's scheming mind had rubbed off on her of they were just getting careless. Either way

Holly let go of the leash she had been holding on her temper and yelled "You wont win, Lint!" Perhaps a bit melodramatic, but affective none the less. She lunged forwards, making Artemis her first target. Her arms were paralysed, true, but she till had the rest of her. The top of her head made contact with Artemis's nose, he grunted and staggered backwards. That one was for all the lies you told me, she thought fiercely. 

She thought she heard Commander Root telling her not to be a fool but she lashed out with her feet, clumsily knocking one of the Sabres away. An arm fastened itself around her neck and she bit down into a muscled flesh and stepped on a foot. Like a wildcat, she fought until inevitably, one of the Sabres bashed her on the side of her head with his weapon. She crumpled in a heap.

Panting, the Sabre who had knocked out Holly, grabbed her arm and pulled her limp body up. "What shall I do with her, boss?"

Artemis nursed a bloody nose, but barely thought of the pain. Holly. You have always been a stubborn elf. Why? Why did you have to do that? With every fibre of his being, he hoped she was all right. He stepped closer, and soon saw that her chest was rising and falling normally. He had to stop himself from sighing in pure relief. She would be fine. And he would make Gus pay for even laying a finger on her. He swore it. At least he would be in charge of the amount of gas they let into the roomhe would make sure she would be all right 

Out of Artemis's hearing Gus replied "Put her in the windowless room with that corporal over there. And tell the others to ready the ship. We leave soon."

"Yes Boss." This particular Sabre, didn't usually make a comment once he had been given an order, but this time, he felt certain the odd circumstances warranted it. "Boss," He scratched his head. "It was the weirdest thing. As she went downI could have swornshe was smiling."

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OK review time

Sheen Rox: AAH! don't stab yourself!!! *sigh* I wish I were Eoin Colfer. Umm...actually, if I was I probably woulda been murdered by now because I would have taken twice as long as he does with coming out with new books. *grins* Sorry about the delay, hope you haven't killed yourself.

lutefa: Science is your favourite? lol! I hate science with a vengeance. I had to disect a heart today in Biology and I'm not usually squeemish about blood or anything, but there were some idiots in my class who were playing with it, and my best friend insisted on cutting it into little pieces and it was so gross it looked like mince meat and now I don't think I can eat anything and my hands still smell of blood no matter how much I wash them. Ick! Sorry to bother you with my problems, didn't mean to make you sick too :-)

Mage kitty: Thanks for pointing that out, the problems you mentioned should have been fixed now. 

kalariah: Thank you so much for the advice :-) I enjoy replying to reviews so I'm trying not to stop but do you think it's better if I write them at the bottom from now on like this? Because then people wouldn't exactly have to scroll past them to get to the story, just to review. Please tell me, I value your input. Anyway, I hope this chapter answer some of your previous questions.

slime frog: Hehehe, I can imagine what your going to call me after this chapter :-)

HollyShort29406 (sorry I forgot your new screen name): Yep yep. I LIVE for torturing characters....and all you readers of course :-) Oh, BTW, sorry I haven't reviewed your ficcy in a while. I haven't been allowed on the net for so long. I'll try to read your updates soon.

Aks: Thank you :-) I was under the impression that this got worse with every chapter

HollyB: I tried to update sooner but I seriously couldn't get the words flowing properly. I hope this chapter passes as acceptable.

Queen-Of-Gondor1: eek! THANK YOU!!!

kelaal: lol! really? this fic seems to be driving me insane. *shrugs* At least it's useful for something.

SilverButterfly: What is it with you and consoling my victims? *snatches Arty-poo back* He's mine! Mine y'hear? And I will NEVER be done messing with him! Mwahahaa! Arty: NOOO! Help me!! *more evil laughter from mad authorette*

spontaneousxhumanxcombustion: *hides* Umm...I can't remember why I took so long last time, but this time it was plain old fashioned writer's block. Sorry.

Earth Borne: Eek, sorry 'bout the wait.

kelsey: lol! hmm...well I think more punching would make Artemis seem like (an even bigger?) wuss, so I don't think I'll get away with it. I'm trying to limit myself to one punch per fic.

Jade Sabre: LMAO! That was great! hmmm....I don't think that's exactly how I'll end it but it's something along those lines...:-)

Dreamy-Eyes: eek! Me sorry! I'll be faster next time!

leonsalanna: Sorry bout that. Grub basically meant that when he bugged Trub's imposter the guy didn't seem to mind. Aargh! I'll go back and reword it, now I'm confusing myself...

Fowlet: *blush* thank you!

BookFreak: Aargh! Sorry about that, I have been told before....many times...by many different people...but I kept forgetting to change it. I'll try and do it soon. Thanks for reminding me.

carabas: Your welcome :-)

flamaria13: NOOO! Don't kill-haul me! I'm too young to die!

Marsbars: Hehehe. Thank you!


	29. chapter 28

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Disclaimer: *sigh* I do not own Artemis Fowl or any of the characters. I am a penniless waif trying to write a story. Do not sue! Suing is bad! 

Eh, on with the chapter… 

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She awoke with a start to find Grub staring down at her worriedly. The fact that she was awake at all was something to be thankful of, but a quick examination of the room they were in was enough to bring a smile back onto her face. It had worked; those morons had actually fallen for it! 

"Holly?" Grub asked uncertainly. She pulled herself to her feet with difficulty. Her hands were still cuffed but her head didn't ache from the clobbering that oaf had given her. Her magic must have healed it as she slept.

She didn't answer Grub, instead walking over to one of the whitewashed walls. True to his word, Gus had had them put into a room without any windows. The only door had no knob or key on the inside and the room had long since been stripped of any furniture it might have had. The only sign of there being a world outside this bleak prison was a camera on the wall she was looking at. Underneath which, there was a small vent - maybe the size of an average TV screen. 

"How long?" She asked; noting with pleasure that her steady voice belied the tension she felt.

"How long have you been unconscious?" Grub asked slowly.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes Corporal."

"I'm not sure. It can't have been long though, you were still healing when I woke up, and that was only ten-fifteen minutes ago." Then, with a start "Why are you laughing? I don't get it, why did you do that? You only got yourself knocked out."

Holly didn't answer, and soon Grub felt so left out that he laughed with her. Holly didn't care though; it was the best laugh she had had in a while. "Those idiots," She choked, "Didn't even use enough gas to keep us asleep until Gus came back!" She shook her head, finally getting a handle on herself. She went to the far wall and scrutinised the camera closely. 

Grub watched her fearfully now, clearly wondering if she had gone insane. He slumped to the floor, muttering to himself. "They have Commander Root, they have Trub and they're gonna go to the Bermuda triangle and kill them. And there's nothing we can- we can-" He stopped then, too despondent for words. 

Holly looked back at him, realising that she hadn't explained herself clearly, and how hopeless the situation must look to him. She walked over and crouched beside him, nodding at the ventilation shaft. "If you give me enough of a boost, I bet I can squeeze through there."

Grub shook his head dejectedly, "Eye-ball orders. We can't try to escape."

Holly grinned. "As far as I recall, _I_ wasn't awake to receive any eye-ball orders."

Grub gasped, realisation dawning on him. "That's why you picked that fight with the Sabres! So you'd be knocked out and they wouldn't - " then he groaned. "How are you gonna get that open? We're both cuffed and even if we weren't…it's nailed shut. Besides, the camera's always watching us, even if you did get out, they'd be after you."

Holly was mildly impressed that Grub could think so far ahead. She swallowed; making sure the throat mike was still there before considering Grub's first point. For a moment, she was stumped; she could deal with the camera easily enough, but the cuffs? She thought hard. Surely she hadn't let herself be put in this cell without some idea about how to deal with them. Their micro-circuitry made tampering with them impossible. Unless…her grin returned.

"First things first." She told Grub. "The cameras." She cleared her throat. "Foaly? Foaly, I don't know if you can hear me right now, I don't have an ear-piece so just listen up. Grub and me are in one of the rooms in Walsh Enterprises, and I need to get out of here. Try hacking into Gus's computer systems, you should be able to find us easily." She paused. 

"I would wave at the camera, but as you can see, I'm cuffed. Now, I need you to feed the cameras a loop. I don't want the Sabres that are still here to know what we're doing. I doubt Koboi is here at the moment so you shouldn't encounter any trouble." She stopped for a breath, Grub was watching her, wide-eyed. "I guess we can't wait any longer, we'll know soon enough if Foaly could do it, anyway."

"What about the cuffs?" He asked meekly.

Holly bit her lip. "I have an idea, corporal, but I'm not sure it will work. Guess there's only one way to find out. There's a chain around my neck, can you pull it off?" In the end, Grub had to use his feet to get the chain off Holly's neck - an experience that neither of them wanted to repeat. There were two items attached to it, Holly's copy of the Book and a sealed acorn inside a plexiglass sphere. It was the latter that Holly was concerned with now, though. 

Grub was baffled, there was nowhere to plant the acorn, even if having more magic would help, but he had long since given up asking questions.

Holly allowed the sphere to drop; it shattered easily leaving dozens of small pieces of glass lying on the floor. Then, she positioned herself so that her limp arms were hanging over the mess, and grimly, used her knees to push her palms into the sharp pieces of glass. 

Grub gasped and Holly choked back a scream as blood oozed out from under her. When she pulled away, her palms were a mess of torn flesh. They stung unbearably but blue sparks had already begun jumping down the length of her arms and onto her palms. "Good." She grunted. Some of the sparks that were healing her got diverted and sank into her cuffs. Slowly, the microchips began to steam, until finally the paralysis ended. She flexed her arms with satisfaction. "The sparks fried the circuitry." She explained to a gaping Grub. She gestured to the shattered- and now bloody- glass on the floor. "You'll need to do the same. I'll need your help to reach that vent."

Grub squealed, but she talked him into it. Soon, she was being lifted onto his shoulders, if somewhat haphazardly. He walked them over to the vent, making a show of straining under her weight. "I'm not that heavy!" She protested, feeling offended.

The vent was nailed shut, and on closer inspection a lot smaller than it had looked from back on the ground. She would have to wiggle through it - rather than crawl. "I'll need something to get the nails out." She muttered. Grub pointed at the camera above the vent and she nodded. If Foaly was feeding the Sabres a loop then it hardly mattered if the camera itself was broken. It was a matter of minutes for them to smash the camera on the floor and find a piece of metal suitable for levering the nails out of the wall. 

It was when Holly was working on the last nail that her dream came back to her in a flash. _"You will have to make a choice…"_ She froze. What had the woman meant? Somehow Holly was sure that there was some kind of hidden meaning, that it was more than just a dream caused by lack of sleep and a restless day. Suddenly, a sense of unease overcame her, she felt like an unbearable burden had been placed on her shoulders. As if….As if the fate of the world relied on a decision that _she _would have to make. It was too much for her to take all at once. She wavered and almost fell from Grub's shoulders.

"Holly?" Grub said, when she was steady again.

She blinked. "What? Oh." She had finished on the last nail without realising it and was now looking at an open vent. It headed straight forward for a while, then turned left. She looked down at Grub, troubled. "Are you sure you can't come?"

Grub shook his head. "They told me not to attempt to escape, in any way."

Holly gritted her teeth. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you. With Root and Trouble. And I'll give Gus Lint a pounding for you."  
  
Grub nodded. He trusted she would do exactly as she said. She wished she shared his confidence. 

Even for someone Holly's size, the vent was a tight fit. As she had suspected, it was impossible to crawl, so she had to somehow find purchase with her feel and slide through. It was a painstaking process and took a lot longer than Holly would have liked. "Sure, a Recon mission to the surface, a little undercover work. Doesn't sound too hard. _Idiot!" _She muttered to herself, as more nails snagged at her clothes.

When there was finally an opening, Holly was too relieved to be cautious, and pushed the metal frame out of her way with relish. There was a loud clatter as it fell to a tiled floor and Holly held her breath and counted to ten before allowing herself to slip out of the opening.

She was in what seemed to be a locker room for Gus's Sabres. Like the room Gus had left her in, the walls were whitewashed and bare - indicative of Gus's no-nonsense nature. There was no one else there. About time I had some luck, she thought to herself.

A quick search of the lockers told her that the Sabres had confiscated a lot of equipment from the LEP officers they had kidnapped, which was helpful because it meant that she had her choice of wings and weapons both. The first thing she did, however, was grab a helmet and put it on. They wouldn't be giving her any orders now. Next, she picked out a set of Hummingbirds and a Neutrino. 

It was only when she came across one of the Sabres' uniforms - black pants, a shapeless top and a black mask - that she realised how filthy her own clothes were. They were encrusted with blood and sweat and grime, and the strangest thing was that she had no idea when it had happened. With only a moment's hesitation, she slipped out of her own clothes and into the sombre black of the Sabres. It felt strange, almost like some sort of ritual before facing death itself but, as she reasoned, if she was going to get out of this alive, she'd need whatever edge fate threw her. 

Finally, she set up a connection on her helmet to police plaza, and the Operations booth. "Foaly? Foaly, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, darling."

Holly breathed a sigh of relief. "So you took care of the camera in our cell?"

"Yes. And I don't appreciate your implication that I couldn't have done so if Koboi was still there." Foaly replied curtly.

Holly shook her head. "How are things down in Haven."

There was a pause, almost as if Foaly was picking his words. "Bad." He stated finally.

"They were bad before."

"This is worse. The Sabres that are still here aren't even _pretending _to be good anymore. They've redirected traffic in the main thoroughfare. Gnomes are blocking most lanes and someone let swear toads into Police Plaza. The remaining officers are paranoid, not sure who to trust and too busy to help anyone. I've shut myself in Operations; otherwise those louts probably would have thrown _me _in a cell. There's been six troll attacks in corporal buildings and that's only the beginning. There's looting, vandalism and the Sabres are at the root of it all. Holly, I don't know if Haven can ever be restored to what it was." 

Holly took a breath. "That bad, huh?" She closed her eyes, wishing she were somewhere else, anywhere else. If someone didn't stop Gus Lint, then things could only get worse, and there was only her. "Foaly, can you somehow track Lint. I don't know if he's here, but he said something about a ship…and Bermuda." She frowned. "Is he going to take a boat to Bermuda?"

"Not the kind of ship you mean, and I won't need to track him." 

Holly still didn't understand, "Foaly, what in Haven's name are you talking about?"

"The thing Gus - or rather Opal - was building? It was a ship. Huge. And based on the same propulsion systems we use for shuttles. This ship doesn't have shielding capabilities. About half an hour ago, a Portuguese satellite picked up this image over the North Atlantic Ocean." Foaly sent her a satellite photograph of a large grey circular vessel; the bottom of the ship would slope inwards, so from a side view it appeared to be a semi-circle. 

Holly groaned, and slumped to the floor. "Is he mad? This will be all over the Internet by tomorrow - unless he's lucky and the airforce shoots him down. If he wanted to cause a cross-species war, why didn't he just announce the existence of fairies to the United Nations?" 

"I don't think that's what he wants. Actually, I don't think he even cares about Haven or the People anymore."

Holly understood and laughed mirthlessly. "If you were about to gain enough power to rule the world, you wouldn't exactly care if you betrayed your own kind in the process." 

"Holly," Foaly's tone was worried. "I know it's hard but we're relying on you - what's left of us - and Lint, Artemis, Koboi; they need to be stopped."

Holly felt it then, the burden of responsibility heavy on her shoulders. Gods above, why did it have to be her? "Where are they now?"

"Still over the Atlantic, as far as I can tell. It shouldn't be too hard to find them. What's your plan for getting out of Walsh enterprises?"

"I'm going to find a room with a window, and fly out."

"What if a Sabre spots you?"

"It's them that will have to be afraid of me." She bared her teeth and pumped her Neutrino. "They better stay out of my way."

As it was, Holly encountered no trouble with the people she passed. Garbed in their trademark black, they took her to be one of their own and didn't stop her. Soon she was flying over Dublin, and after a while the grassy hills and slopes gave way to clear blue ocean. I'm coming, Lint, she thought fiercely. I'm coming.

________________________

Somewhere over the North Atlantic Ocean

Artemis walked the halls of the second deck of the ship that Gus had named _The Origin. _Artemis had had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at this title. Although it had been made quickly, Koboi had done a remarkable job. 

Soon, they would be entering that infamous area where so many odd occurrences had taken place. Now was the time for action. The time to set Artemis's plan into motion. He had already dealt with Koboi's monitoring systems, it had been difficult, but like all problems Artemis had found that with enough time and effort, he could solve it. Now all that remained was one vital phase.

He strode down corridors, knowing exactly where he was going. Luckily, he ran into no one, which meant that he didn't have to use the buzz baton that was tucked underneath his jacket. This was not unexpected, as most of Tsu Ling's cronies would be up top, guarding their master. The 'roof' of the _Origin _also served as the uppermost deck, which was why it was flat. Tsu had intended to use this area to complete the ritual for stage two and make the sacrifice for stage three. However, Artemis did not intend to let him get that far.

Right now, Tsu would be making a speech to his followers. Which worked out well for Artemis.

Passing a window, Artemis suddenly stopped dead, and backtracked, looking out into the sky. The air around _Origin _was clouded with an impenetrable yellow mist. This did not surprise Artemis as much as he was sure it would surprise Tsu and his Sabres. It only meant that they had reached their destination.

Artemis had had plenty of time to research. In 1986 a Catalina seaplane had encountered the same phenomenon while flying over the Bermuda triangle. While engulfed in this murky, yellowish-grey soup, there had been no visible beginning or end and there was no way to tell how far land was. Their communication systems had malfunctioned and this had gone on for about four hours. When the plane had finally emerged, the radio revealed that they had only been out of contact for one hour. It was as if they had dropped out of normal time itself. 

For Artemis, this meant that at least there would be no interruptions but he would have to act now. Without allowing himself any longer to ponder the matter, he headed down another corridor until he came to the door her had been looking for. It took him a few seconds to enter the code he had stolen into the terminal beside the door, and it swung open with a pneumatic hiss. 

This was the section of the ship that Tsu's prisoners had been transferred to. All except for Root. Their manacles had been exchanged for those microchips that the Sabres had put on Holly and everyone was seated on the ground. It took them a moment to realise he was even there, then Juliet was running towards him.

"Arty!" She yelled, her arms flapping about wildly. Artemis grinned at her, then addressed the whole room. 

"As you're not in a dwelling any more, your eye-ball orders no longer apply." They had been knocked unconscious before being relocated. He gestured outside and to the left. "There's a locker room that way, where you should find something to help you remove those chips. Commander Root is being held on the top deck, which is where most of the action will be, but I'm sure Haven could do with some help too." He stopped; the fairies had been staring at him wide-eyed.

"Why are you doing this, Fowl?" A tawny elf asked.

"I intend to stop Tsu Ling." Artemis said simply.

The elf nodded. "He's telling the truth, let's go." And with that, the assembly stood up as one and shuffled past Artemis towards the door. 

"Wait!" Artemis said, pointing at his parents who, miraculously, had managed to stay unconscious. "Can some of you get my parents out of here?" Artemis did not like relying on the fairies for help when it concerned his parents, they had every right to refuse, but he had no alternative. 

A cluster of fairies fell back and began to lift his mother and father. "Don't worry." One said reassuringly, "We're heading for Haven. We'll take care of 'em." The sprite was watching him, looking puzzled as to why he was helping them at all. Artemis met his gaze coolly and was not the first one to look away. 

Juliet stood by his side, a firm expression on her face. He knew there would be no use in suggesting she left with the fairies that were going back to Haven. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. "Don't you intend to at least get those chips off your hands? Or can you protect me without the use of your arms?" He jibed. 

Juliet scowled at him, then headed out of the door muttering. "Could you stay out of trouble for a _few _minutes?"

Artemis stepped out into the corridor himself and was surprised to see a familiar captain waiting for him. "Captain Kelp, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Trouble looked up at him, his expression serious. "I underestimated you, Fowl." He said.

"No need to apologise." 

Trouble nodded, as if they had formed an understanding. "Holly?"

"As far away from here as I could get her." Artemis told him, silently hoping she was alright."

"I'm staying here. I've got to help Root, if you have a plan, I'd like to hear it. For now I'm going to get these cuffs off." Trouble turned, about to leave before pausing. "I can tell you care about her, Fowl. I'm not sure I understand, but I can tell. Although, I don't think you know her that well. She'll be here. If she isn't already."

Trouble was gone before Artemis could respond. Trouble's comment had taken him off balance. He had always been adept at hiding his emotions but it seemed that when it came to Holly, he was an open book. He was not sure that he liked the feeling.

It was then that he heard it. A voice that made his heart clench.

________________________

Holly had finally caught up with the ship. It hadn't taken long, as Lint didn't seem to be concerned with speed. The sight of the colossal vessel awed her, and had the circumstances been different she would have loved to have a go at piloting it. As it was, she had to fly shielded, and when she was close enough to see the top deck, it was clear she wouldn't be able to waltz through the door. There were many Sabres gathered in a tight circle, and Holly wasn't sure she was ready to see what they were looking at.

She fell into a steep dive and skimmed the water until she was under the ship. A close examination revealed a small hatch that she managed to fit through. Soon, she was flying shielded through the ships many hallways. Looking for - she wasn't sure what. Maybe she was only delaying the inevitable, Root was sure to be…then she saw him. He was heading in her direction, and looked preoccupied, which was a good thing, because if he hadn't been, he was sure to have recognised that shimmering heat haze for what it was. Artemis.

Holly opened the throttle a little wider, so her head was an inch from the ceiling, and pumped her Neutrino. It would benefit her in the long run if he was taken out of commission here and now. She swallowed. I will NOT let my personal feelings jeopardise the security of the world. I will NOT. I will NOT! She kept thinking to herself. When she looked up, though, Artemis was gone.

"Where-?" Holly clapped a hand to her mouth as she realised that a door was open a little way down the corridor. Abruptly, a group of fairies in LEP uniform burst out, several of whom she knew, followed by Artemis. Holly found that her mouth was hanging open, but that was nothing compared to the shock she felt when another cluster of fairies emerged with Artemis's parents on their backs and Juliet on their heels.

Why would Artemis bring his parents here? He wouldn't. She thought. But that meant…

Holly pieced together the clues fairly quickly for one taken so off guard. When she had a vague idea of what must have happened, she felt tears well up in her eyes. She had been wrong! Artemis had been blackmailed or threatened into helping Lint! There was no other explanation. Holly felt as if a piece of her heart had been handed back to her, somehow more complete than she had felt in days.

She touched down on the floor gently in time to hear some of Artemis and Trouble's conversation. 

"Holly?"

"As far away from here as I could get her."

"I'm staying here. I've got to help Root, if you have a plan, I'd like to hear it. For now I'm going to get these cuffs off." Trouble turned, about to leave before pausing. "I can tell you care about her, Fowl. I'm not sure I understand, but I can tell. Although, I don't think you know her that well. She'll be here. If she isn't already."

Holly felt the beginnings of a grin light her face. She let Trouble pass her before unshielding and leaning against the wall casually. "You know, a girl would think you were trying to get rid of her." She said. Her voice shook a decibel.

Artemis turned slowly and met her gaze tentatively, his eyes melting with emotion. "The girl should know that I was only trying to keep her safe."

Holly stood straighter. "Maybe _this_ girl doesn't want to be safe." 

Artemis walked until he was an arms length away from her and spoke softly. "I'll try to remember that." Then he made the worst impression of someone afraid that Holly had ever seen and said, "You're not going to hit me again, are you?"

Holly laughed, but was cut of as his arms snaked around her waist. Then, they were kissing.

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Aaaaaaw, there ya go, the make up you've all been waiting for. And a nice long chapter too. Hope it was satisfactory. 

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Ladeda: Ok, thanks for reviewin'

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Sheen Rox: Aah! Ok, don't do anything hasty. I'm a new and improved author now so updates should be more regular. Just-put-the-knife-down! Lol, and there will be more romance in the next chappie, just for you! J 

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Flamaria13: Noooo! Don't boycott! Out of all the things you've threatened to do to me, that is the worst! :-)

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Seadragon: I'm pretty sure you've reviewed before…but if you haven't thank you for reviewing now! I'm so glad you like it! 

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~*~*: lol! Patience, Goddess of Reviews, I ordered a shipment of fluff…It's due to arrive…next chapter!

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kelsey: Why does everybody think I'm gonna kill Artemis? Lol, no, Holly's not gonna kill Artemis. As for the rest of your questions…wait and see…:-)

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Mage Kitty: Well, yeah…The tapestry thingy & the lady were pretty much 'Fate'.

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Queen-Of-Gondor1: wow, I've got queens bowing down to me? :-) *goes mad with power* Thank you, for saying so, and updates should be quicker from now on.

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Illusion Warrior: Thanks! :-)

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Holly B: lol, wake up! Or I'll get some smelling salts…:-)

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Slime frog: *stare* *blink* *****sweat-drop* I see…hmm…normally, I'd be offended, but I'm actually impressed. What's a drennit, thoddo and tralk? Sounds cool, I'm probably all those things…:-) And I seemed to have misplaced my conscience. Timmy, Timmy! Where are you? *whistles* Here boy!

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Starlover11: Gus Lint. Maybe you should re-read some chapters

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Kirjava: Thank you! 

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Fuzzbunni: nah, my reviewers are generally good normal people…except for those people who keep threatening to kill me - *shakes fist* You know who you are! - and I coulda sworn I was followed home yesterday…hmm. Well, I hope this chapter reassured yah.

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Jade Sabre: My muse seems to be appealing for assisted suicide now…:-) I'm glad you liked the chappie…took me ages to write…phew.

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SilverButterfly: Yep, I had to do some research, I just kinda wanted to find out whether the Bermuda triangle would fit in with what I had planned…you shoulda seen the look the librarian gave me when I asked for a book on it, though… :-)

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Andarilha: *blushes* You're too generous, I don't think Colfer would even consider _reading _my little ficcy

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Pink-Flower: thanks! :-)

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Earth Borne: Thanks :-) Me's updating AFAP (as fast as possible).

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StarChild22: Yeah, I know…damn server…Thanks for pointing out the grammar mistakes. I'm really bad with that. *hits her head repeatedly on desk* Bad shadowweaver! Bad!….ahem, I will try to fix that when I get the chance.:-)


	30. chapter 29

A/N: hehe, umm…is anyone still here? OK, I know I have a LOT of groveling to do but before I start that, is anyone still reading this? I **really** would not blame you if you gave up on this ficcy ages ago, but I just want you all to know that I never did!

That said, let the groveling commence! I am **really** sorry I did not update sooner. I had to go through mock exams, coursework deadlines, family crisis's (yes, as in more than one!), revision, writers block, and now - in the middle of my final exams I've _finally _finished! So here (as promised) are the last few chapters of this story.

One more thing; since I _am_ posting quite a few chapters at once, I would really appreciate it if you review each chapter. If you can't do that, it's fine a well rounded one at the end would be equally valued. Once again, thanks for all your support and encouragement, without it I would have given up ages ago.

I will shut up now and let you read the last chappies. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Possession is nine tenths of the law.

Juliet rounded every corner with growing apprehension. She knew she shouldn't have left Artemis alone. She knew it! She shifted the Neutrino she was holding and rubbed her palms together reflexively. Although, Artemis had been right; there was little she could have done to protect him without the full mobility of her arms.

One of those little elf-men had pointed some sort of laser at the microchips and they had simply fallen off. Several of them had said they were leaving for Haven, but even more had wanted to stay. Right now they were going over whatever plan they had for retrieving their other officers, and talking about some sort of sabre. Juliet hadn't bothered asking about it, all she wanted to do was get back to Artemis. He could figure the rest out. Somehow she had this gut feeling that something was different about him, and it had been wrong to leave him alone.

When she rounded a final corner, the Neutrino fell to the floor with a clatter and her mouth dropped open. The pair barely noticed the noise. Too immersed were they in their seemingly reciprocated love. That _couldn't_ be- "Artemis!?"

That got his attention. The pair broke apart quickly, doing a poor job of hiding the smiles of giddiness that were plastered on both of their faces. Juliet did a double take when she saw who the other person was. "Holly!" She looked from one to the other, their expressions answering more truthfully than their mouths would have.

Holly would have blushed, if she hadn't glanced at Artemis's face. Now _there _was something you didn't see every day. Artemis Fowl. Embarrassed!

Juliet had finally gotten over her shock. She put a hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows. "Oh, no. Don't stop on my account. So this is why you wanted to be alone, Artemis." Artemis gave her a withering look.

Holly decided this was too rare an occasion to pass up. She blinked innocently. "You didn't _plan _this, did you Artemis?"

Juliet laughed. "Holly, I think _you're _the one whoneeds my services."

She nodded seriously. "It must be this new perfume."

"What is it? No, forget I asked, I can live without knowing what attracts _his _sort."

"Personally, I think it was just an excuse. He's been after me for weeks."

Artemis recovered quickly. He gave them both a curt nod, then, as gallantly as the hero from any romance novel, took Holly by the waist and kissed her thoroughly. Holly melted into his arms, his mouth smothering her indignant protests. Juliet rolled her eyes, then walked away smiling, giving them some privacy.

Holly felt her insides turn to mush. He kept doing this to her! Making her feel as if she was some dull-witted simpering school girl. She would talk to him seriously about it. He had no right to embarrass her like that. They'd talk…later. It was a small consolation that she could feel his heart beating…nearly as fast as hers must be.

When they finally came up for air, Holly shoved him away with an effort and mimicked the withering look he had given Juliet. He smiled at her innocently. "I would have stopped, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself."

She struggled to hold onto her expression. "You assume too much". She muttered breathlessly.

"Really?" He stepped closer, and Holly felt herself drowning in those blue eyes. All she wanted to do was tell him how she felt, now that she could finally admit it to herself. She loved him. She always had. All she wanted to do was to let him kiss her, and hold her. But she found herself biting back the words, as their surroundings made themselves known to her again.

She lifted a hand in between them. "Opal."

"I like you better." He said.

Holly winced; just 'like'? No, there was no time. "Lint." She said softly.

Artemis sighed and pulled back. "You're right of course." He glanced at the ceiling. "We're late as it is."

"Late?"

"He'll be trying to perform the Ritual to gain the second stage of power soon. It will be a lot harder to defeat him if he's invincible." He said matter-of-factly.

Holly gasped. "Right. We'll need Butler, and whoever's still here and – Artemis?" He had been watching her with a slight smile on his face. Something _was _different about him. "Stage one of the power – the Knowledge of the Spirit Sabre. You _did _translate the scrolls for Gus. I mean – do you feel any different?"

Artemis nodded. "I have it."

Holly swallowed. "Good. Then I hope you have some idea what to do about _that_." She pointed behind him, and Artemis frowned and turned. There was a small circular window behind him. Outside, amongst the murky impenetrable mist, a round black pool of _nothingness _hung in the air.

Opal Koboi watched the proceedings apathetically. This was definitely _not _her idea of a good time. In fact, if it weren't for the promise of some LEP killing, she would be down in Haven right now, creating a ruckus. Gus was sooo boring.

Right that moment he was saying how he would purge the earth of the human infestation and take back what rightfully belonged to him and his sabres…blah blah blah blah blah. Opal wanted to tell him to hurry up and perform the Ritual but that sprite had a temper that would catch you by surprise. So she waited.

Finally, Gus Lint finished talking to his followers and he gave them a slight nod. Apparently, this was some sort of pre-agreed signal, because thirty-or-so of the fairies formed an efficient circle around him, and faced outwards, their weapons at the ready.

Finally. Opal thought, with some satisfaction. He would be performing the ritual. When building the ship, Gus had made sure that a small patch of earth was included in Opal's design. It lay in the very centre of the huge circle, to the left of the podium that Gus had been talking at. She surveyed the area with a critical eye. Large crates of weaponry that Gus had not had the time to find a better place for still littered the deck, placed at seemingly random intervals along the edges. The rest of the top deck was more conventional to Opal's style. Mostly necessities.

Her brow furrowed in irritation when she saw a stray length of wire hanging from the navigation toolbar near the edge. It was in a coil – at least three meters long then - that she _certainly _hadn't left there. No doubt one of Gus's Sabres had pulled it out and just left it there. She would have to see that it was dealt with soon; one of those louts might actually _spill _something on it. Spill. She was thirsty!

Glancing around for something to drink, Opal was suddenly jerked back to reality as her eyes fell on the rear of the ship. The thick yellow mist was changing, swirling and clearing a patch of air. As quickly as this patch appeared, it was gone, replaced by a tear. A rip in the very fabric of space. It was replaced by blackness that remained suspended in place. Menacingly. As if waiting for something. Opal new it for what it was. _A Black Hole._

Gus had noticed it too. How could he not? It was sucking at the air, pulling in whatever it could. If the ship hadn't been as well powered as it was, surely it would have been sucked in too. He had just taken out The Spirit Sabre from the titanium case it had been kept in for the last century. He decided against unsheathing it too.

As a Sabre was stepping forward for a closer look, he was grabbed by the collar. The pixie could be mean when she wanted to be.

"Get me some water from the cooler." She growled, not taking her eyes off the phenomenon in front of her.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the fairies who had been held on the ship stayed to help. They knew where the real battle would be waged, and it wasn't back in Haven.

Holly shook her head briefly at a question that she had only half heard. So far, the exchanges between the humans and fairies had been civil, but terse and urgent too. Trouble had adopted the role of the liaison that she had been sure would be forced onto her, but there wasn't much for him to do because the council members listened to what Artemis had to say with growing respect.

Almost as if he's one of them, one of us, she thought oddly. What happened to Artemis when he read those scrolls? Somehow, Holly felt a link between herself and him that had nothing to do with her feelings for him. She felt it in the part of herself that felt magic when she stood beneath a full moon or when she was near to Haven. But that wasn't the thing that disturbed her. Excluding Juliet, everyone else in the locker room they were in was looking at Artemis in the same way she was – as if they recognised him somehow but just couldn't place his face.

Finally, decisions were made. They didn't have a real 'plan' per say but they had a line of attack, and that was all they had time for. The group dispersed with an air of people who knew they're fate, but were ready to fight it with their last breath if need be. _We'll be lucky if just all of us on this ship die to save the planet. _It was not a cheery thought.

Artemis seemed to have a lot on his hands right now, being the brains behind their attack, so Holly began making her way down the hallway alone. She wrapped her arms around herself to suppress a shiver, and then chided herself for wishing that she had Artemis's hands around her instead.

"_You will have to make a choice…" _Why did those words have to come back to her _now? _She couldn't afford to let anything distract her at this stage. "Not even Artemis." She told herself firmly.

"You've got it bad if you're having imaginary conversations with him, you know." Holly jumped; she hadn't heard Juliet coming up behind her. The girl gave her a wry grin. The two walked in a comfortable silence until they reached a landing. At the top of the stairs that it led up to, all hell would soon break loose. Holly made a decision.

Abruptly, she turned to Juliet. "Juliet, you don't have to be here you know."

The girl met her gaze levelly. "Yes I do. Listen Holly, don't go all pleading and guilty on me, it doesn't suit you. This isn't my fight, but Artemis is here, so so am I. It's a two for one special. Besides, I'm hardly helpless." Juliet flashed a quick grin, then was all business again. "Holly, if there's one thing that I learned from my brother; it's that we all do what we have to do. This is what _I _have to do."

Holly sighed, "I understand." Then, she let the full power of her eyes bore into Juliet's.

"W-what are you-?"

"I'm sorry Juliet." Holly said honestly. "It's like you said: We all do what we have to do." Holly swallowed then allowed the power to flow into her voice, let it resonate with control. "Juliet, I want you to stay here. Don't move; don't bring yourself into the battle." Holly hated herself but she couldn't let Juliet – so young – be killed today. If she could have, she would do the same for Artemis but they needed him today. Her friendship had already gotten Butler in trouble; she owed it to the man to at least ensure his sister's safety.

Juliet nodded assent, her actions controlled completely by the _mesmer_ then stared out into space. She would not move now until Holly herself told her to. Artemis caught up to them then, and it was all Holly could do not to throw her arms around him.

"Are you ready?" He asked taking her hand.

Holly swallowed, glanced at Juliet, and then replied, "As I'll ever be."

Hmm… not quite a cliffy since the next part is at the click of a button. Before you click it though, let the authoress know how pid you are at her and review!


	31. chapter 30

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the important characters.

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Claimer: I own Gus Lint and the plot.

Opal was just taking her first sip of water when one of Lint's men interrupted her. She had been watching Lint chant some words that – aside from taking a LONG time to say - would evoke the spirits of the powerful warlocks that were trapped inside The Spirit Sabre to grant invincibility. Sounded like nonsense to her, but then her gift of tongues was weak at best.

"What?" She snapped, wiping her mouth.

The elf regarded her dryly. "Behind you." He muttered. Gus's men were loyal to him alone. They did what she said, but only because they had to.

With a sour grunt Opal spun around. Two figures were coming on deck. Opal smiled broadly, finally; something to do while she waited for Lint. Holly Short. Opal savoured the moment; Holly was walking hesitantly, being pushed along by the barrel of a gun held by – of all people! – Artemis. Opal had seriously thought that the boy would betray them, but it seemed that Artemis had reformed. Opal noticed that Holly wasn't wearing any wings, and wondered briefly how the elf had gotten onto the ship.

Holly snarled when she saw Opal, but the look she gave Artemis was ten times worse. "I should have known you'd betray me. Again." She said, sounding more than a little hurt.

Opal laughed gleefully. "Sabres! Whoever's not guarding Lint, come here now!" Her order was carried out immediately. One good thing about Lint – he knew how to train his people. The remaining Sabres formed a ring around Short and Fowl.

Artemis lowered his weapon slowly. None of the Sabres had removed their guns from their holsters, but he was smart enough to know when he'd been crossed. Lint had said that they still needed the boy, but she was tired of his attitude and Lint wasn't exactly around to stop her right then.

"You're a fool, Fowl." Short growled.

Artemis muttered something, glancing around. Opal frowned, why was he trying to look _over _the Sabres' heads? Whatever he was looking at, he seemed to have found it, because his attention snapped back to Opal in a flash. "So, this was the plan for you all along. Get your revenge while Tsu's attention was elsewhere?"

Opal shrugged. "That, and world domination." She went up on tip-toe to see how Lint was doing. He was still chanting some nonsensical words but he would be done soon. And the second stage of power; invincibility would be his. Opal clutched her stomach convulsively. When she looked back at Fowl, he was smiling sardonically. So was Short.

Opal frowned, "What are you smirking at, mud whelp? You do realise you're going to –" Opal trailed off groaning, her stomach was hurting all of a sudden. The black hole swirled and sucked with a new fervour.

Now Short was grimacing, Fowl looked grim. "You know, you really shouldn't take a drink from a guard you don't recognise." Fowl told her.

Opal's eyes widened in realisation, her insides aflame. Holy water. "You – you – poisoned…me!" She choked. She knocked the bottle over as she fell to the polished floor. "Don't…stand…there! Kill them!" She screeched as best she could. She opened her eyes to see why her order wasn't being carried out. The Sabres were in a fire fight with LEP officers (Where had they come from?) who had taken refuge behind the crates that Gus had left scattered all over the top deck.

With a cry of outrage she fumbled for her Neutrino 500, searching for Artemis and Holly. The pair was nowhere to be seen. The pain! She dropped her weapon, the convulsions seizing her small body. She had always thought magic pretty useless, technology was the way of today, but right then she would have traded all the computers in the world for a spark of magic. The pain was unbearable. She needed to lie down. Yes. Rest was what she needed. A part of her screamed that she wouldn't wake up, that she would die, but she silenced it by ignoring it. She had never been much of a fighter and she preferred the illusion to the reality. With that last comforting thought, she lay down, and let death take her.

Long before Opal went down for good chaos broke out on the top deck of _Origin. _While Holly and Artemis kept Opal and the Sabres that weren't guarding Gus Lint busy, LEP officers had begun smashing windows on the deck below and scaling their way up onto the top deck (with the help of some recovered wings). After a brief analysis of the situation, Artemis had decided that the element of surprise would be what would win them this fight. Now the Sabres were surrounded. They wouldn't go down easily but the Lower Elements Police had the large crates for cover with plenty of room to fall back on, plus the open air in all directions except the rear, where the Black Hole hung menacingly.

Captain Holly Short sat, with her back against one such crate, a Neutrino clutched firmly in her hands, eyes darting around rapidly. The fire fight raged on around her but she was deaf to it. Taking two ragged breaths she darted out from behind her refuge and joined Trouble behind a much larger crate, beams of red tearing through the air in her wake.

"How're you holding up, Short?" He asked between shots.

"Peachy." She replied, having to shout to be heard. "Have you seen Ar-Fowl?" She yelled.

Trouble ducked to avoid being hit and shook his head. "Not since Opal went down."

Holly frowned. That was the last she'd seen of him too. But she wasn't that worried. Strangely, she thought if he was hurt, she would _know_. She poked her helmeted head around the crate for a moment. Amazingly, the circle around Lint still hadn't been broken. If they didn't do something soon – Holly shivered. "Root?" She shouted questioningly.

Trouble inclined his head to his right. Holly looked around him and smiled. Root was exchanging fire with a group of Sabres that had broken off from the rest, his face an impressive shade of purple. He had been held on the top deck when Artemis and she had got there. In the confusion of the fire fight he had managed a mad dash to the surrounding crates and safety.

With that settled Holly got back to work, secure in the knowledge that her friends were fine. Her soldier skills took over and soon she was lost in the rush of each passing moment, doing her best to hit someone every time she shot.

Holly was too far away to hear Lint's triumphant shout, or Artemis's wordless yell, but she felt rather than saw the large shadow that suddenly fell over those to the rear of the ship. Whirling around, she saw a purple blob of…_something_ (for lack of a better word) coming out of the Black Hole. Within seconds it was over her and Trouble, then it was over the cluster of Sabres surrounding Lint. All gunfire had ceased the moment everyone noticed the thing and the air filled with an eerie silence. Suddenly, the purple liquid-thing contorted and the next moment it was bleeding into a space in the thick of the Sabres – _bleeding onto Lint._

"NO!" Holly yelled, realizing belatedly what was happening. Whatever the _thing_ was, it was some sort of conduit that was transferring the second stage of power to Lint.

The Sabre-guards finally dispersed, taking refuge behind crates or just trying to get away from the light-show that was going on over the patch of earth in the centre of the ship. Lint stood, silvery streaks darting around his person, every capillary on his exposed skin visible, luminescent. The _thing _was gone.

Holly drew in a ragged breath. _The second stage of power; Invincibility, in the hands of a fairy Psychopath. Wonderful._

She felt Trouble shift beside her. She turned just in time to see him cock his Neutrino and fire at the glowing Lint. The blast of red fire made contact; it hit Lint on the chest and was gone.

Lint didn't even flinch.

He smiled slowly, and then laughed, looking around wildly. "You see!" He yelled to his captivated audience of LEP officers, Sabres and humans. "I cannot be defeated! You fools, I am immortal! Shoot me!" He spread his arms out wide and looked heavenwards, still laughing like a maniac. Holly and the rest of the LEP were more than willing to oblige. The blasts rained down on him from all directions and not a single one had any affect. Soon the LEP went back to their fight with the Sabres, wanting to shoot something that would fall when hit.

Holly's attention, however, had not strayed for more than a moment. But then, that probably had something to do with the fact that Artemis had just stepped out into the open. _What in the name of Frond is he doing?_ She wondered incredulously, and a little uneasily. He was leaving himself open to fire from all directions. Luckily for him, the Sabres' attention was presently elsewhere, but all it took was one Sabre with an itchy trigger finger to turn around…

For a moment, while Artemis was still standing unnoticed, Holly felt it again. That unidentifiable connection that she had been feeling ever since she had boarded _Origin. _It made her decidedly nervous but it also – for some strange reason – served as a reminder for that ever-present voice in her head. _You will have to make a choice…_

Gods, Holly begged silently, please don't let that _choice _have anything to do with Artemis.

It seemed that she would be finding out soon enough. Artemis had just caught Lint's attention. Considering the fact that Lint was both invincible and two feet away from a sword constructed from an unbreakable alloy, that was not a very safe place to be. Artemis, however, did not seem the slightest bit ruffled by Lint's steely gaze. On the contrary, he seemed calm. Too calm, Holly thought with a shiver. What_ happened _to him when he gained the first stage of power?

In one fluid movement, The Spirit Sabre was in Lint's hands; unsheathed and potentially deadly. It was Holly's first glimpse of the notorious blade. For a moment, she was transfixed. There was something morbidly beautiful about the way the sun gleamed off the stainless blade. The way the black ivory handle, adorned with precious stones, glittered menacingly. It's not the Sabre that's evil, she realised suddenly, it's the fairy who wants to use it.

With a start, she realized that Artemis and Lint were talking. "Fine time to have a conversation." Holly grunted, simultaneously dodging behind Root's crate so that she could hear what they were saying.

She caught the end of Artemis's sentence. "…so you see my little ruse was quite effective. You don't have the Knowledge of the Spirit Sabre. You never have. You have no idea what you're doing, for all you know I might have lied about the requirements for the third stage of power."

Holly shook her head furiously, trying to get Artemis's attention. She knew what he was trying to do but it wouldn't work. Years of working with scumbags had given her a sort of insight into the motives behind some of their actions. What Artemis was saying would only serve to make Lint angry. When People get angry they usually act rashly. When maniacs get angry they do something dangerous. Artemis suddenly met her gaze. Holly stopped breathing. It was as if he _knew_ I was here, she thought oddly. The only other sign he gave of acknowledging her presence however was a slight upward turning of his lips before turning back to Lint.

To Holly's astonishment, Lint burst out laughing. Not the explosion she had been expecting. He cut off short and sneered. "Do you really think I _care_, Fowl?" Lint demanded. "I have Invincibility. Nothing can hurt me. Can you say the same?" Holly clutched her heart convulsively. No. Please Gods, anything but this.

"Perhaps not," Artemis plunged on recklessly "but-"

"But nothing!" Lint sneered. "The only thing standing between me and complete power is the small matter of a life sacrifice. I _was _planning on using Root but I think _you'll_ serve my purpose a lot better!" Without a moments more warning Lint lashed out with The Spirit Sabre, aiming for Artemis's neck. Luckily, Artemis's reflexes had improved over the years and he stumbled backwards in time to avoid the fatal blow.

Holly released the breath she hadn't known she was holding and quickly stood up, intending to charge out into the open and help Artemis any way she could. However, in the same instant a strong arm yanked her back down and she heard Root speak fiercely.

"Let me go!" She yelled, clawing frantically at his arm as Artemis sidestepped yet another attempt on his life.

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT SHORT!" Root yelled back abrasively. There's nothing you can do to stop him, he's invincible! You'll do Fowl no good getting yourself killed." It was an extremely long conversation given the circumstances but Holly realized that he was right. Tears filling her eyes, she forced the tension out of her muscles and Root released her from his vice-like grip.

Artemis had been lucky enough to get behind a crate, but Lint was already bearing down on him. Lifting The Spirit Sabre high, Lint sliced through the wooden crate as if it were made of butter, clearing his way to Artemis. Holly bit down on her lip, not even noticing as the coppery taste of her own blood filled her mouth, only to be replaced by a few sparks of her blue magic.

Artemis was crouched, poised to dart away from the blade as soon as Lint attempted another strike. But Lint caught him by surprise, feinting left then coming down from the right, slicing through the flesh on Artemis's arm. Holly felt tears trickle down her cheeks, and a sharp pain in her chest. "Hang in there, Artemis. I love you." She whispered fiercely, not caring if her commander heard. At least there's _one_ thing I can do to help him, she thought bitterly.

Poking her hands out from behind the crate she called upon her magic, urging it to leave her fingertips, sending it to Artemis's cut. She watched as the blue sparks flew through the air and reached their target, sinking into his skin. Neither Artemis nor Lint seemed to notice. The wound was shallow, and healed quickly. Taking a breath, Holly tried to stop the flow of magic only to find that it _wouldn't_. It was like he was some kind of magnet for magic.

Her eyes widened. "What the-" She closed her hands into fists, and still, the magic kept flowing from her into Artemis. It made no sense. Where was the magic going? It just seemed to sink into him like a sponge.

Root shook her. "What are you DOING?" He demanded.

"It's not me! It's the magic!" She yelled back. The constant tug of her magic leaving her body so quickly was beginning to wear her out.

Then, several things happened at once; the Black hole became bigger, making more noise. The stream of blue sparks suddenly caught Artemis's attention causing him to lose sight of Lint. With Artemis distracted, Lint was able to make a successful strike with the Spirit Sabre. Lifting the blade up high, Lint brought it crashing down. A blow that should have sliced through Artemis's skull.

But it didn't.

An area of blue light flared up on Artemis's head, at the exact place where The Spirit Sabre would have made contact, and pushed the blade away. A moment later, the light was gone. Lint stared. He tried again, slashing at Artemis's chest while Artemis remained still. This time, the light was dimmer but just as successful in saving Artemis's life.

Abruptly, realization dawned on Holly. _Blue_ light. Magic light. _Her_ magic. Somehow her magic was acting as a kind of protective shield around Artemis, stopping The Spirit Sabre from harming him. But with every prevented blow the blue light grew dimmer. Holly could feel her magic waning, Artemis was sucking her dry but somehow, that still wasn't enough.

Holly bit her lip in consternation. She glanced around frantically but no help would come. The rest of the LEP were absorbed in their fire fight with the Sabres, the only People paying any attention to Lint and Artemis were herself and Root. Holly felt like screaming, Artemis was out there fighting the real battle on behalf of the entire planet and there was no one willing (or able) to help him.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a memory flooded into her mind.

Eyes widened, she grabbed her CO by the shoulders. "Commander, send him your magic!" She yelled.

"Have you gone insane, Short?"

"There's no time!" She screamed. "Trust me!" Root met her gaze for a moment, and then complied. Like her own, his magic was absorbed instantly and the blue field strengthened. "Tell the others to do the same." She said, when Root was done squirming over his lack of control over his own magic.

"Not until you start explaining what the Hell is going on, Short. Our people need their magic to heal themselves in case they're injured." He barked.

"It won't make a difference if Lint kills us all!" She shouted. She had never spoken to her commander this way before but in this instance, the situation called for it. "Don't you remember the song about The Spirit Sabre?" She asked hurriedly. "'_Then at dusk a mud dweller came,_ _And each one of them he slew,_ _With the might of all the people,_ _We conquered and enslaved their Evil…' _Foaly said some of the tenses were changed to future – like a prophecy! It was talking about Artemis! The only way to beat Gus Lint is by sending Fowl our magic – 'the might of all the people'."

Root looked doubtful. "Fowl?"

Holly spoke quickly, Lint was slashing at Artemis insanely and the magic barrier was weakening again. "Haven't you felt some sort of connection with Artemis recently? Like he was kin – one of the People." She didn't need an answer; Root's expression said it all. "He is our Champion. It's him that will defeat Lint. You and I both know that this wouldn't be possible otherwise."

Root didn't need any more urging. He began barking orders to Trouble who told the Sprite next to him, who carried the message to all the LEP officers still there. Sooner than Holly had dared hope the fire fight died away and Artemis was receiving aid from all directions. The magical barrier around him strengthened and solidified. He was luminous, brimming with power.

Gus Lint had ceased his reckless slashing once he had noticed the first few streams of magic. Now he stood before Artemis, sword in hand, panting his fury.

"Stalemate," Artemis stated, his voice puncturing through the still air. He hadn't budged an inch since Holly had healed his wound. Holly wished she shared his confidence. "I cannot kill you and you cannot touch me."

Gus Lint's eyes darted around, searching for a way to get the upper hand. Then, his eyes fell on Holly. Holly started. In all the excitement she hadn't noticed that she had stood up, making herself easily visible from Gus's perspective. Now it was too late. Holly suddenly understood why dears stood still when caught in the headlights of a mud-man vehicle. She couldn't budge an inch.

Gus chuckled. "You're not the only potential life-sacrifice around, Fowl."

Artemis glanced behind him to see what had caught Lint's attention, and for the first time since their battle had begun, his expression was one of panic. Quickly, he stepped between Lint and Holly. "You'll have to _kill me_ to get to her." He grated. "And as we've already established, that cannot be done."

Holly's heart beat accelerated.

Lint laughed wildly. "Who said anything about _me _getting to her?" Then in the same breath, "BUTLER! Kill her."

It seemed almost unbelievable that a man of Butler's size had thus far gone unnoticed in the conflict, but it was true. Holly's eyes widened as he emerged from the crowd of Sabres, eyes decidedly blank from being under the _mesme_r for so long. He had no weapon, but everyone present knew well enough that he didn't need any.

Artemis was torn, he couldn't move or Gus Lint would have a clear path to Holly, but if he did nothing, Butler would do the deed for him. "Holly," He called, eyes not straying from Lint. "Use your _mesmer. _Try and get through to Butler."

"I can't." She called back. "I'm all out." Holly noticed a few of her people lifting their weapons towards Butler, ready to shoot him down when he was close enough. "Don't!" She screamed at them. "In the state he's in a few blasts would only faze him. You'd have to kill him to stop him!" But they had to do something fast, Butler was drawing ever closer to her crate.

"Oh very good, Captain." Lint gloated. "Righteous as ever. It will be your downfall."

From her periphery, Holly saw a hand reaching out for her. "Butler don't!" Artemis yelled. The hand faltered. Root and Trouble used Butler's hesitation to launch their assault, both officers jumped on Butler, attempting to tackle him. Butler swatted them away like flies. More tried, and got the same treatment.

Holly backed away, but was too slow. Butler's hands tightened around her elfin neck like a vice, cutting off her supply of oxygen. Her feet left the ground, hovering several centimetres in the air. "Butler….no…." She choked. She didn't have a spark of magic in her, if something didn't stop him soon, she was toast.

The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, inhaling painfully. Artemis was between her and Butler. "Don't do this, old friend. You're stronger than this."  
  
Butler faltered, staring at his charge and friend. "Kill her!" Lint repeated, layering his voice thickly with the _mesmer_. Butler took another step forward.

"No!" Artemis repeated. "You can fight it. You don't have to listen to him."

Butler took a step back. "You're a killer Butler. That's what you've always been at heart and you know it. So do your job. Kill her!"

Butler quivered; his palms pressed against his temples, and doubled over.

Holly laboured to catch her breath. Now that Butler was in her line of vision – on the floor - she looked him in the eye. "No." She said firmly. "You're a bodyguard. You _save _lives."

Artemis put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Find your centre. You _don't_ want to kill her Butler."

Butler looked from Holly, to Artemis and stopped quivering. His shoulders slumped and his eyes shut.

Holly sighed her relief. "He's beaten it." Artemis began to help her up.

"Touching. Truly touching." Lint mocked. He shrugged sardonically, "You know what they say. If you want something done-" Lint spun around and started running for the stairway that led onto the deck, Spirit Sabre in hand.

"What's that maggot doing _now_?" Root muttered incredulously.

Holly frowned. It wasn't like he could get off the ship that way. Then, a sickly feeling claimed her insides.

"**JULIET!**" She screamed.


	32. chapter 31

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A/N: OK, we are nearing the end. Pls tell me what you think of this chapter, it was one of the hardest to write. And no flames when you read this! I know it'll be tempting but you must resist! Resist!

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Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. NOTHING, OK?

Butler struggled with himself. His brain had been damaged, he knew that much. No man alive could go through such a test of will power and come out of it unscarred. But he couldn't let himself be overcome by this now. Not in the middle of such a crucial battle.

Artemis. His employer. His charge. His friend. Artemis needed him now, to be the bodyguard one last time. Holly. She had saved his life, and the life of his baby sister. He owed her. Juliet. A young woman now, really. But she would always be his baby sister. She was the most important thing in his life, he needed her as much as she needed him.

__

Juliet. My centre. I'll make it through this for you. Butler breathed in, searching for his centre, that quiet place inside himself where everything was right.

But his thoughts were shattered by a scream. "JULIET!" It was Holly's voice, streaked with fear. Fear for Juliet's life.

His eyes snapped open.

In an instant, he was up on his feet. He didn't need to be told the details, the moment he saw Lint starting down the staircase to the lower decks he was after him. His long fast strides made up about three of Lint's and he was at the top of the staircase just as Lint reached the bottom.

Juliet was frozen in place. Gus Lint smiled maliciously, hefting The Spirit Sabre. Butler didn't think, didn't take a second to hesitate. His baby sister needed him. Like a man possessed he hurtled downwards through the air, soaring, flying. He crashed into Juliet, knocking her out of harms way just as a sharp pain pierced his chest.

Gus Lint pulled The Spirit Sabre out of Butler's chest, allowing the bodyguard to fall to the floor, clutching his wound. Blood soaked his shirt, and quickly spilled onto the floor. Gus Lint clutched The Spirit Sabre tightly, laughing sadistically.

"Give me the power!" He yelled. "I claim the power. I am ready!" He yelled, over and over, laughing like the maniac he was.

Butler breathed raggedly, the end was near and he knew it. In a moment, Juliet's tearful face was above him. She applied pressure to his wound. "Hold on." She told him. "Holly will come soon. She'll-"

Butler took his little sister's hand already sticky with his blood. "It's OK. I'm down. You go on."

"No!" She cried brokenly. "Don't leave me now."

Butler stroked her cheek gently. "I found my centre." He told her, "I have no regrets."

Somehow, Juliet understood. "I love you, bro." She told him.

Artemis reached them then. He dropped to his knees beside Butler. Butler thought he saw tears on Artemis's face too. "I'm so sorry, old friend."

Butler patted Artemis's shoulder. "Couldn't be helped." He rasped. He could feel every precious pint of his life spilling onto the floor around them. His body began to numb, he couldn't feel the pain anymore. That was one good thing but it meant he was fading fast. "Artemis – Juliet – take care of – each other." He said, his voice ragged.

"Butler-" Artemis began.

"Dom. Call me Domovoi." Butler said. Then he was gone.

Artemis froze as Butler's eyes went blank. "Butler. Domovoi?" He asked tremulously. Artemis was cold. Very cold. He hadn't believed that this could happen. That someone so strong could be defeated. From his childhood, he had built up so much respect for the man that he had begun to think him invincible. And now he was gone. He couldn't accept it. He _wouldn't_ accept it. There had to be something he could do to – then it hit him. _Only The Spirit Sabre can undo what it's done._

Trouble and Root helped Holly to her feet. Her lungs were damaged. She had blacked out for a moment after Butler's miraculous recovery. Now she was trying to get them to tell her what had happened.

Suddenly, it didn't matter anymore. Gus Lint had come back on deck. He was holding The Spirit Sabre – which was soaked with blood. Holly swallowed. "Juliet!" she cried.

Gus smiled cruelly. "Butler actually. These humans never cease to amaze me."

Butler. "And it's all my fault." She realised, disgusted. _"Juliet, I want you to stay here. Don't move; don't bring yourself into the battle." _I told her not to _move, _she couldn't even defend herself. Because of me, Butler's dead. Grief clutched her insides, threatening to consume her. But something else, from the inner recesses of her mind overcame even that powerful emotion to echo hauntingly from within

"_You will have to make a choice, Holly."_

Holly shook herself. She had to stay focused, now more than ever. Gus Lint was staring at her. Holly glanced behind her briefly. No, not at _me_, at the black hole. Waiting for the next stage of power, undoubtedly.

For the first time, she noticed Artemis, sneaking up behind Lint. Holly swallowed painfully. He looked dishevelled, even slightly beaten. Blood caked his normally unblemished suit and his face had regained some of the pale coldness he had worn as a boy. His eyes however betrayed his determination.

Unfortunately, Lint noticed him too and swung The Spirit Sabre around smoothly so the tip was a few inches from Artemis's neck. Not that Lint could hurt him if he tried.

"What are you doing now, Fowl?" Lint demanded impatiently. "Don't you understand that it's over? I won. It's just a matter of time before the power comes to me." Lint smirked. "I would think that you'd be back there mourning for your deceased friend."

Artemis glared daggers at the fairy before him. Maybe Butler's death had rattled him so much that he became reckless, or maybe it was just a reflex action. Whatever the case he made a big mistake; he glanced at The Spirit Sabre. Instantly, comprehension dawned on Lint.

Holly suddenly understood too. But it was as if she was viewing the events from somewhere else, the only thing that seemed real was the words that haunted her. _You will have to make a choice, Holly._

Lint backed away from Artemis, holding The Spirit Sabre possessively. Holly's stomach lurched. The air was thick with trepidation. "Oh. So you think you can save your friend and defeat me with _this_?" _You will have to make a choice Holly. _"Do you?" He screamed.

__

You will have to make a choice, Holly.

"Well if you want it, Fowl –" He yelled, holding the blade up.

__

You will have to –

"…go and get it!"

__

-make a choice-

Time seemed to slow down for Holly. Those ever-present words repeating themselves over and over again. Lint hurling The Spirit Sabre – the blade of legends – into the air. Artemis shouting wordlessly. Every heartbeat was an eternity.

__

-Holly.

The black hole swirled, pulling, willing The Spirit Sabre to be sucked into its depths. Artemis's eyes widened, knowing that the blade would fly through the air and into that swirling vortex, as surely as the world was doomed. He had failed.

__

You will have to-

It's my fault. Butler's death is my fault. I am the blue thread, Holly thought. The Spirit Sabre was hurtling through the air, drawing ever closer to her, and its ultimate target behind her.

__

-make a choice-

Holly knew; it was up to her now. She had had that dream for a _reason_.

__

-Holly.

She watched as if in a dream, The Spirit Sabre's shadow passed over her head.

__

Make a choice.

Holly.

Make it now_!_

Holly made her choice.

Without thinking, she knew what to do. She spun on her heel, her feet eating floor rapidly. Shouts followed her, she was deaf to them. All that remained was her and her target. She could see the black hole in front of her; feel the Spirit Sabre over her. She was matching its speed.

Without stopping, she stooped to pick up the end of a coil of wire that had been carelessly left on the floor. The other end was still attached to a navigation toolbar.

She reached the edge of the ship. She didn't stop.

With her last boost of strength, she leapt upwards, her right hand outstretched. She had left her wings on the deck below, but for a moment, she was airborne. Then, cold ivory met her fingers and she snatched the Spirit Sabre from the air. She had reached the peak of her ascension; the force of Gravity demanded that she fall, but the suction of the Black Hole was stronger. She began to fall towards the hole.

Suddenly, the wire that she still clutched in her left hand pulled taut and she stopped falling. Her life - and the fate of the world as she knew it - depending on a coil of wire.

Seconds stretched out and all Holly felt was those words, echoing noisily in her head. The wire began to fray.

Then, Artemis was above her; down on his knees, those piercing blue eyes wide with terror for her life. "Holly, hang on!" He called to her over the re-energized roar coming from the Black Hole. "I'm going to pull you up."

He's trying to keep me calm. Sweet of him. Holly realised. Bizarrely, she did not feel like panicking. In fact she only felt _tired_. The muscles in her arm were beginning to cramp.

Artemis grabbed his end of the coil of wire and began to pull. The area of wire between them that had begun to fray, ripped a little more. There was now _very _little left keeping it together.

Artemis noticed it a moment later and ceased his pulling. His eyes darted around, panic-stricken. One more heave could easily split it, if the wind being sucked into the Black Hole didn't first.

He reached out for her but she was too far down. "Climb as far as you can and give me your hand!" He yelled.

Holly lifted her right hand in automatic obedience, and then stared, suddenly feeling that extra strain. She would have to drop the Spirit Sabre in order to climb up and reach Artemis. This was obviously what Artemis had intended. "Drop it!" He called, reiterating her thoughts.

The wire frayed a little more. Her life line. Her blue thread.

Holly looked up into her love's piercing blue eyes. They were staring down at her in absolute terror. "Hurry!" He yelled, failing to keep a note of pleading from his voice.

Looking into those amazing blues, Holly understood. For the first time since this whole mess had started, a feeling of contentment filled her. She finally _knew_ completely what her options were, and what the consequences would be. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Either way, all the waiting and dreading would be over in a few crucial moments

__

"Sometimes, when the entire pattern of threads is at its end, the only way for it to continue lie on the shoulders of one of them. What you must know, I have told you. You will have to make a choice, Holly."

The revelation had been long in coming, but now that she understood her choices, she understood that there was no choice. She appreciated completely what had to be done, and all the resentment that had filled her since hearing about this one moment went away like it never was. All she felt was contentment, with the world, with what she knew she now had to do, and with the fact that soon enough she would find that long sought-out peace that had eluded her life up to this point.

All this came to her in an instant of looking into Artemis's eyes. He was calling to her still, his hand outstretched, willing to forsake the world to save her. The wire was only a thread short of breaking. Holly lifted her arm again, and placed the Spirit Sabre firmly into his palm.

"NO!" Artemis yelled, livid.

When Holly met his eyes again, there was no sadness, only sympathy for Artemis. Sympathy because she knew he would blame himself for what she was doing. And because she had never gotten the chance to show him how much she cared for him. She could feel the last thread straining under her weight. "I love you." She told him, trying to express in a last look just how deeply into her being her feelings ran.

The thread broke.

As Holly fell into darkness, into that whirling oblivion that was the Black Hole it was obvious that she had achieved a sort of inner peace, it shone through her, she was radiant.

Then she was gone. The Black Hole closed behind her.

Artemis stared over the side of the ship. Stared at the emptiness of the thick yellow coloured fog that surrounded them. The Black Hole had gone. He cried out in pain. He had stood by and let it take away the only woman he had ever deeply respected, befriended and loved. The only women whom he had let see inside of him. He had made himself vulnerable to her, by caring, by loving her, and now her absence left an agonizing gash on the inside of him. He wished he could have said that he didn't care, that he would be able to get past this in time, but he knew that he never would. He wished that the Black Hole had taken him too.

He squeezed his hands into fists, uncaring that Holly had passed him the Spirit Sabre blade first and that now it was slicing deep welts into the palm of his hand. The physical pain was a welcome distraction from the mental.

Suddenly, a nagging on the inside of his head disturbed him from his mourning. The nagging he had come to recognise as that wellspring of knowledge he had gained concerning the Spirit Sabre. In his brain, he could almost believe the ghosts of those three dead warlocks were talking to him._ Get up. There's no hope for the world unless you get up right now._

Artemis frowned, his face a contortion of pain, for the first time in his life unable to process any thought beside the image he had last seen of Holly, falling to her death.

__

I said get up! You think Holly would have wanted you to give up now? You think she _would have given up now? She died to save this rock, are you going to let that be in vain. Are you going to let her down? Are you going to let Butler down?_

Lint watched from halfway across the ship. He was like a snake a few metres from its fleeing pray; he knew he had won; it was just a matter of a few details. He knew the power would come soon, he could taste it in the air, feel it in his magic, a storm was brewing. Surprisingly to him, Fowl began dragging himself to his feet. One of his hands was a mess of blood, but it was what was in the other the concerned him.

"You still won't be able to-" Lint shut up as he was interrupted by an ear-splitting crackling noise overhead. Seemingly out of nowhere, a thundercloud had penetrated the yellow mist. The wind lifted up significantly, whipping Artemis's hair completely backwards. Lint laughed manically. "YOU SEE! The power is coming to me! I will be unbeatable!"

Artemis began walking toward him; the wind did not seem to encumber him whatsoever. Despite Lint's excitement, he noticed the look on Artemis's face. He had the look of someone who had taken one to many blows and was about to hit back with a vengeance. His face was a pale storm of rage and pain and his eyes stayed on Lint. "You killed two of the people I love the most in this world Lint. You will pay with your life."

Lint had stopped paying attention to him when he noticed a flash of something purple from his periphery. He looked up and saw what he had been waiting for. With a yell of glee he spread his arms wide. Artemis was still coming for him but that wouldn't make a difference once he had achieved stage three of the power. "I am ready!" He yelled to the heavens. "Give me the power!"

From the cloud, a bolt of lightening flared out, attracted not randomly to the ground like a normal bolt but to its own target. It was purple in colour and struck home with a noise that easily overcame the screams of the person. Like the 'blob' before it, it was a conduit for the third stage of power; magic. When it was over, the recipient of the power felt a voice inside his head. _The power is yours now. Use it wisely._

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Lint screamed half mad with fury. "IT WAS MINE! IT WAS MINE, YOU TOOK MY POWER!"

Slowly, Artemis Fowl stood up. Reborn. He was one with the Spirit Sabre, all its power was his. All its knowledge was his.

He looked around, amazed. Every glance took him miles further than it should have; every breath was filled with the universe's secrets. The air around him sparkled with magic. The ability to save or destroy the world was in the possession of a former criminal mastermind.

"HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? HOW-"

Artemis's eyes snapped back to Lint. Now that his fury was under a temporary leash Lint was a minor annoyance. A fly that he would swat away. But first-

"You did it Lint. You handed the power _to_ me. The scrolls said that the one who was to gain the power would have to make a sacrifice. By killing Butler you made no sacrifice. He meant _nothing_ to you. Holly died handing me the Spirit Sabre. She made the ultimate sacrifice _for me._" Artemis laughed, but there was no humour, no pleasantness in it. "If you hadn't have thrown the blade, she would be alive and I wouldn't have the power I have now. You have only yourself to thank for all of this. I want you to think about that for the short time you have left on this world." Artemis spoke coldly, his emotions locked behind the amazing power he now possessed.

Lint's body quivered with suppressed rage. It was too much. The power had been there, tantalisingly close. He could have had it. He _should_ have had it! But for it to fall into the hands of perhaps his greatest enemy! It was maddening. Lint growled a low, feral growl. Well if he couldn't have it, then no one would! In a moment of reckless insanity, he ran at Artemis, somehow convinced he could kill him.

Artemis brought the fabled blade up in one fluid movement, smooth as butter. He had taken a few fencing lessons as a boy but they were not what guided his hand. It was the knowledge that was inside of him, a part of him. _Only the Spirit Sabre can undo what it's done._

Lint ran into the blade; was responsible for his own death just as he had been responsible for everything else that had happened in the Bermuda triangle. Artemis pulled the blade back, letting Gus Lint, Tsu Ling slide to the floor.

It was over. It was finally over.

Artemis watched Lint's eyes widen with horror, he knew it too. It was a slight surprise to find that he felt no pleasure from the kill. He looked at the beaten fairy with disgust. Lint deserved worse, a lot worse. He had been responsible for countless deaths; fairy and human alike but in a way killing him solved nothing. Holly was still gone. Butler was still gone. The fairy population was exposed to the world. Haven was in ruins.

Lint croaked, a final act of defiance as blood spilled from his wound, then was still. Artemis turned his back, not wanting to see Lint's puce blood stain the floor. For the first time in years, Artemis found his eyes filling with tears. He looked at where the Black Hole was. "I'm sorry, Holly. I've beaten Lint, but I've still failed you."

From all around, fairies picked themselves up from behind crates and under consoles where they had taken refuge from the lightening. The yellow mist was gone; all that was visible as far as the eye could see was open ocean. Sabres that were still alive handed themselves over to LEP officers, knowing that any chance they had was gone. Commander Root and Trouble Kelp stood over Lint's body, making sure he was dead once and for all.

Artemis didn't budge from his spot. He knew they had won today but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

__

But it can be.

Artemis whirled around, looking for the speaker but there was no one in his near vicinity. It was different from the 'voice' he heard in his head. A part of him knew that the 'voice' was just his own minds way of feeding him the vast amount of knowledge that had accumulated within him in small doses.

This new voice had a different feel to it. Besides that Artemis was sure he was hearing it with his ears as opposed to with his mind. It seemed to be female, and there was something in it reminiscent to the cry of wolves at night.

"How?" Artemis asked.

__

You know how. The power is yours now. The People chose you.

Artemis shook his head. "Who are you?"

__

That is not important. What is important is the fact that you have the ability to set things right.

"What can I do?" He asked. He would do anything to set things right.

__

Whatever you want. You can perform any one great feat or many small ones. You can be_ wherever you want, _have_ anything you want._

Artemis's breath caught in his throat, he hadn't fully considered this before. The possibilities were endless.

__

So what is it you want, Artemis Fowl?


	33. Epilogue

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A/N: OMG, I can't believe it! This is the end! So if you haven't reviewed yet (baad you!) do it now! Well, after you've read this chappie. I am going to write a final note after this once I have got some feedback.

****

Disclaimer: Nope. Even though I've written over a hundred pages about them they're still (unfortunately) not mine. Excuse me…bursts into tears

She walked by his side along a plain, the soft fragrance of grass and all the smells of nature filling her nostrils. Up ahead a small hill sloped into the distance and beyond that was what appeared to be a forest, lush with plants and wild flowers. Over this, thick lianas and tangled foliage formed a canopy, blotting out any light and stopping anyone outside from seeing what was inside the forest.

Where she was, the sun was at its zenith in the sky, casting a warm glow that made everything around seem all the more vibrant. It did not occur to her to ask where they were, or why the sun did not bother her in the slightest. She was content to merely walk by his side and breath in the sweet fragrant air.

He hadn't spoken since the forest had come into sight and she began to sense something was bothering him. She looked up into his blue eyes. "Is there something wrong?" She asked.

He did not seem to hear her question. "You told me once that you believe in fate." He said softly. "Do you believe that fate is always right?"

Holly was confused. Something was nagging at the back of her brain but she couldn't quite reach it. "What do you mean?"

He stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Please Holly, it's important."

Holly frowned. "I don't think its so black and white, Artemis."

"But if you had the chance to change something that should have happened, something that would have caused many people pain, would you change it?" He persisted.

"Yes." Holly replied. She didn't know where the answer came from, but it _felt _right.

"Even if it caused you pain?"

"Yes." She said, more firmly. The urgency in his tone was scaring her. "Artemis-"

He only nodded. "I assumed you would say that."

She shook her head. "Artemis, what's this all about?"

He met her gaze and she gasped. There was something different about his eyes, something she hadn't noticed before. An unnatural sort of wisdom behind them. "You tell me." He replied.

The nagging sensation had become unbearable. She didn't know what he was talking about!

He took her by the shoulders. "When was the last time we saw each other Holly?"

Holly frowned trying to remember. There was a party - then a fight. There were many fights. And scrolls. The scrolls of the Spirit Sabre! Gus Lint! The Bermuda Triangle! And she - she had -

"Artemis!" She gasped, and she flung herself into his waiting arms. It was like waking up after a hazy dream. Tears filled her eyes and she trembled in the circle of his arms. When she had calmed down, she did not release the grip she had on his shirt. "Wh-what happened? I was so far away and…"

"You did it Holly. You made the sacrifice for me, I gained the last stage of power."

Holly nodded, she had known Artemis would come out on top, he always did. "Gus Lint?" Though she thought she knew the answer.

"I killed him." Artemis said, his face suddenly very cold. "But it wasn't enough. All those people who he killed, who's lives he ruined. I wanted to make it right. It was meant to have happened, but it shouldn't have. You shouldn't have died." He stopped, his face a mask of pain.

She wanted to comfort him, but needed to hear what he had done. Why she was alive when by all the laws of the universe she should be dead. "What did you do?"

"I erased him. I deleted Gus Lint from the pattern of existence. He never existed and never will. It took most of the power to do so but it's done."

It was unbelievable, but Holly knew at the same that time it had to be true. If there was anything that could pull off such a feat it was the Spirit Sabre. Her mind struggled with the concept. "But…if he never existed, then why do we?"

Artemis nodded slightly, as if approving of her question. "These," He gestured to himself, "These bodies aren't our corporeal forms. They're what you might call our essences, or souls."

Holly's mind reeled. "Then where are our corporeal forms?"

Artemis looked away from her gaze, then pointed at the dark forest up ahead. "At the last place and time when we were together before Gus Lint entered our lives."

Holly gasped, "You mean, if we go through there…"

He nodded, "We'll be there again. We have to go soon. This place-" He glanced at the paradise they stood in, "It's a sort of limbo. It's taking the last of my power to keep us here. Even the Spirit Sabre was not made to interfere with fate like I did."

"Well let's go." She said quickly. She began making her way to the edge of the trees but he stopped her again. "What-" Holly stopped, there was a sad look in his eyes. She thought about what he had just told her again. Suddenly she understood. "If we go back, Gus Lint won't exist." She said slowly. "I'll never meet you at that party. I'll never realise-" Her voice broke. It was too much. He took her into his arms for the second time, stroking her back soothingly.

She pulled away so she could meet his gaze. "How can I live not knowing I loved you?" She asked him. There seemed to be no way he could answer, so he kissed her, like he'd been wanting to do since he'd brought her here. When he pulled away, she leaned against him, needing the contact.

"We won't remember anything?" She asked quietly. His look was all the answer she needed. "Then we'll never see each other again." She stated dismally. She could practically feel her heart breaking. It was unbearable, that she had to lose him a second time.

His arms tightened around her, forcing her to look at him. "No." He told her firmly. "I won't let that happen. No matter what, I will find a way for us to be together again. Even if I end up kidnapping you again for no apparent reason, we will see each other again." That got a laugh from her, albeit a wet one. "I might not know it at the time but I love you. I always will." Their lips met in a final kiss, their breaths mingling warmly, trying to express in their final moments together how vital they were to each other. They were opposites and the same, they were rivals and lovers, but for those last fleeting moments; they were one.

The full moon above them cast their shadows long and far. A sense of levity hung in the air; the world was a rich and beautiful place. Underground, Haven was as safe as its name, a sanctuary where the law was firm and fairies would forever be safe from mankind.

A light breeze tousled their hair, stirred the grass around them.

"No mech-digit can replicate that kind of accuracy. So, thank you too, I suppose." Holly said softly.

Thirteen year-old Artemis Fowl held out a gold coin.

"No," Holly said. "You keep it, to remind you."

"To remind me?"

Holly met his gaze frankly. "To remind you that deep beneath the layers of deviousness-"

"There is a spark of decency." Artemis said with her. He was frowning slightly, something flashed behind his eyes.

"Yes." Holly paused, "Have I said that before?"

Domovoi Butler, alive and well glanced at his employer.

Artemis managed a grin. "I highly doubt it."

Holly smiled back at him. "Feel free to blow on that spark occasionally." She said with a wink.

Artemis closed his fingers around the coin. It was warm against his palm. "Yes, perhaps."

A small two-seater plane buzzed overhead. Artemis glanced skywards, and then when he looked back Holly was gone. A slight heat haze hovered above the grass.

"Goodbye, Holly," He said softly, surprised by the touch of sadness he felt at her departure.

Captain Holly Short took to the air with pleasure, glad that their business in the Arctic was finished. She could live a lifetime happily without ever plunging into ice filled water again.

Suddenly, a mirage of images flashed before her eyes. A mud-man apartment, a moonlit night on a balcony, a small storage cupboard, a mud-man with piercing blue eyes and black hair. Then, just as quickly as they had come; they were gone. Holly pulled up in mid-air. "I need a vacation." She muttered to herself.

Looking back at Artemis's disappearing profile, a slight feeling of regret filled her. The mud-boy had this way of occupying your thoughts, of taking over your life. She was surprised to realize that she might actually miss him.

"Goodbye, Artemis." She said softly. But there was no finality in her statement. Deep inside she knew that she had not seen the last of Artemis Fowl. Whether it be in three months or three years he would be back.

Holly resumed her flight, not noticing that a smile had crept its way onto her face.

Never The End


	34. Author's Note Feb 2009

**Author's Note**

Hey, so this story has long been completed and I haven't written anything for Fanfiction in a while but every time I looked back at this over the last couple of years, especially the early chapters, a deep sense of mortification filled me at the complete lack of care I took while writing it. That said, I'm currently rewriting quite a few of the early chapters to fix all the awkwardness in prose and grammatical mistakes I've made (hopefully!). So far I've done the prologue and the first chapter. It will pretty much be the same story but meatier, and I may get inspired to change a few scenes that were annoying me in the middle few chapters.

I'd appreciate it if you'd give this story a chance anyways, as it's still my baby and I really enjoyed writing it. If you've read it before, I'd be interested to know whether you noticed the changes and whether you liked (or how much you hated) them!

Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed and for all the constructive critiques.

Shadowweaver1


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